The judge in charge of the investigation into the explosion at the port of Beirut last year suspended his investigation on Monday, September 27 after being notified of a complaint filed against him by a former minister suspected of involvement in this tragedy, a judicial source told AFP.
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The examining magistrate Tareq Bitar "
has been notified of the legal action presented by the deputy (and former Minister of the Interior) Nouhad al-Machnouk
" before the Beirut court of appeal, said the judicial source.
The explosion on August 4, 2020, and attributed by the authorities themselves to the storage without precautionary measures since the end of 2013 of huge quantities of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 214, more than 6,500 injured, and devastated entire districts of the capital.
Pointed out for criminal negligence, the Lebanese authorities rejected any international investigation, before relieving the first investigator in February following the indictment of senior officials.
Political pressure on Judge Bitar
Since inheriting the case, Judge Bitar has summoned four former ministers, including three current parliamentarians, including Al-Machnouk, on suspicion of "
potential intent to kill
" and "
negligence and misconduct
". But Parliament refused to lift their immunity, while political pressure on the investigator increased.
Judge "
Bitar suspends his investigation and all proceedings related to the explosion file (...) until the Beirut Court of Appeal (...) decides to accept the appeal (of Al -Machnouk) or to reject it,
”added the judicial source. The complaint filed by Al-Machnouk, which calls for Bitar's relinquishment of the case, evokes a technical flaw, based on a constitutional article stipulating the prosecution of ministers and senior officials by the High Court of Justice alone.
In early August, Amnesty International accused the authorities of obstructing the investigation of the explosion in a "
shameless
" and unscrupulous manner.
In recent weeks, Judge Bitar has been at the heart of a smear campaign and the subject of intense pressure, even indirect threats by some ruling parties.
