(ANSA) - ROME, 06 APR - The judge in charge of investigating the explosions that occurred in the port of Beirut in August 2020 - which killed 218 people, caused 7,000 injuries and forced the displacement of 300,000 inhabitants - received death threats and investigations have suffered "undue" delays.
This was denounced by the United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite.
According to Satterthwaite, former state officials and others involved in the affair have "dishonestly resorted to arraignment proceedings and other protest actions against the investigating judges appointed to investigate."
In particular, Judge Tarek Bitar has received death threats and several motions have been filed against him to remove him from the
"On 23 January 2023, Judge Bitar announced that after a break, he would resume the investigation into the port explosions - reports the UN representative -. Two days later, he was accused of various crimes, including 'usurpation of power', and a travel ban has been imposed on him".
In addition, there is a campaign underway on television and social media to discredit him, added Mr. Satterthwaite.
The UN representative asks the Lebanese government that the judge, her colleagues investigating the explosions and her family "are adequately protected".
Furthermore, she urged the Lebanese authorities to take immediate steps to protect the independence and integrity of the investigation and ensure that those responsible for the blasts can be held to account.
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