Families of Beirut port blast outraged by infighting over inquiry

Dozens protest in Lebanese capital against the public prosecutor’s attempt to stop a judge from continuing his investigation.

Security forces push back relatives of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, trying to push their way into the palace of justice after breaking the lock of the entrance gate, during a rally outside the building in the Lebanese capital Beirut, to support the judge investigating the disaster, on January 26, 2023, after he was charged by the country's top prosecutor in the highly political case. - One of history's biggest non-nuclear explosions, the August 4, 2020 blast destroyed much of the Lebanese capital's port and surrounding areas, killing more than 215 people and injuring over 6,500. No official has been held accountable for the disaster. (Photo by Joseph EID / AFP)
Security forces push back relatives of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion as they try to enter the Justice Palace after breaking the lock of the entrance gate [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Family members of the victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast have tried to break into the Justice Palace in the Lebanese capital as they protested against the lack of progress in the investigation over the explosion.

At least 218 people died on August 4, 2020, after hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated in the largest non-nuclear explosion recorded in history.

The event has left victims’ families and many other Lebanese feeling repeatedly let down by the state and waiting for justice.

Most recently, an effort by Judge Tarek Bitar to resume his investigation has led to a pushback from Lebanon’s judicial and political establishment.

Security forces on Thursday drove back the pro-Bitar protesters trying to make their way into the Justice Palace after breaking the lock of the entrance gate.

“People are angry here,” said Al Jazeera’s Zena Khodr, reporting from the protest, where scuffles broke out. “They have been demanding justice and accountability for more than two years, but the investigation has made no progress, and it has been repeatedly stalled by political interference.”

The latest development involves a legal showdown between Bitar and Lebanon’s top public prosecutor, Ghassan Oweidat. Lebanon’s judiciary is prone to political influence with many appointments determined by politicians.

Bitar announced on Monday the resumption of his investigation after a 13-month suspension due to legal complaints and high-level political pressure.

But Oweidat objected, saying Bitar did not have the authority to circumvent the complaints. He filed charges against the judge and released the remaining detainees still held as part of the investigation.

Bitar told Al Jazeera that he would continue his investigation and called Oweidat’s actions illegal.

Relatives of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, hold posters bearing images of people killed in the blast, during a rally outside the palace of justice in the Lebanese capital, to support the judge investigating the disaster, on January 26, 2023, after he was charged by the country's top prosecutor in the highly political case. - One of history's biggest non-nuclear explosions, the August 4, 2020 blast destroyed much of the Lebanese capital's port and surrounding areas, killing more than 215 people and injuring over 6,500. No official has been held accountable for the disaster. (Photo by Joseph EID / AFP)
Relatives of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion hold posters bearing images of people killed in the blast during a rally outside the Justice Palace in Beirut [Joseph Eid/AFP]

“Since the aftermath of the explosion, there were demands for an international investigation because this is a country with a culture of impunity,” Khodr said. “The families of the victims believe that there will never be justice if there is a domestic investigation.”

The top prosecutor’s move was not welcomed by the families of the victims.

“This is a judicial scandal,” said Ali Abbas, a lawyer protesting on Thursday. “Families of the victims are being wronged. There is complete disregard for this crime.”

Lebanon’s Supreme Judicial Council was set to meet on Thursday to discuss developments in the port blast investigation, but that meeting was postponed.

Families of the victims said they feared the country’s most senior judges could decide to remove Bitar from the case or appoint a supplementary judge who would effectively sap Bitar’s power.

Bitar told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday that Oweidat “had no right” to file a charge or release detainees because Oweidat himself has been charged over the explosion.

Oweidat also issued a travel ban against Bitar and a decision saying the judge did not have the authority to resume his investigation.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies