No New Updates for the Beirut Port Blast's Investigations

The Families of the Victims: No political Immunities at the expense of the Blood of Our Loved Ones

This report is also available in Arabic and Spanish.

Families of victims had warned against keeping politicians immunities. Source: Al Arabiya.

To back judge Bitar’s endeavors to investigate officials, Amnesty International called on the Lebanese authorities to "immediately" lift the immunity of those responsible in the case of the explosion at the port of the capital, Beirut. So far, the parliament, the Ministry of Interior and the army have not approved requests by the judicial investigator to lift the immunity of three MPs (former ministers), and to investigate security and military leaders as well.

Amnesty International claimed that the demonstrators in front of the home of the Minister of the Interior demanded justice for the victims and the accountability of those responsible and that they were met with security batons, tear gas, and violence. The international organization called on the Lebanese authorities to immediately halt such actions while, stressing that "obstruction of justice is unacceptable."  

On the other hand, the judge Bitar also requested permission from the Minister of Interior, Muhammad Fahmy, to investigate the Director General of Public Security, Major General Abbas. Besides the Director of Public Security, he requested permission to investigate five army officials and former army commander Jean Kahwagi. Nevertheless, the red tape and stalling prevented Judge Bitar from questioning them swiftly.

This situation aroused the anger of the families of the victims of the explosion, which prompted them to escalate their protest movements. On an almost daily basis, since last week, they have been carrying out movements in front of the Parliament and in the vicinity of the home of the Minister of Interior. Many of the members of the families of the victims, said that any representative who refuses to lift immunity is considered responsible for the horrific crime, and a participant in the bloodshed.

Communication and Public Relations Department