Latest news with #JusticeForBeirut
CNA
04-08-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Five Years After Beirut Port Blast, Lebanon's President Vows Justice
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday (Aug 4) vowed justice and accountability five years after the catastrophic Beirut port explosion, as the investigating judge concluded questioning key defendants, a judicial official said. Nobody has been held accountable for the Aug 4, 2020 blast, one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions, which devastated much of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring over 6,500. Authorities say the explosion was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser had been stored for years, despite repeated warnings to senior officials. Judge Tarek Bitar resumed his investigation earlier this year, after a power shift following the Israel-Hezbollah war that weakened the Iran-backed militant group. Hezbollah had previously led efforts to remove Bitar from the case. Aoun said the Lebanese state "is committed to uncovering the whole truth, no matter the obstacles or how high the positions" involved. "The law applies to all, without exception," he said in a statement. Monday was declared a national day of mourning. Rallies demanding justice were planned later in the day, converging on the port. INVESTIGATION MOVES AHEAD Bitar has now finished questioning defendants and suspects, a judicial official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Those questioned include former prime minister Hassan Diab, as well as several military and security officials. Some former ministers refused to appear for questioning, the official added. Bitar is awaiting responses to requests sent to several Arab and European countries for information on related incidents. Once received, he will finalise the investigation and send the file to the public prosecution before issuing an indictment. President Aoun said, "We are working with all available means to ensure the investigations are completed with transparency and integrity." Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a former International Court of Justice judge who took office earlier this year, called the investigation a matter of national importance, denouncing a legacy of official impunity. Despite the scale of the tragedy, no one is currently in custody over the case. VICTIMS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement that "despite the resumption of the investigation, the road to justice remains littered with political and legal challenges". They called for an "unobstructed investigation that establishes the facts and full chain of responsibility" for the explosion, whether domestic or international. Mariana Fodoulian, from the association of victims' families, said officials had spent five years dodging accountability. "We're not asking for anything more than the truth," she said. "We won't stop until we get comprehensive justice." Culture Minister Ghassan Salame said on Sunday that the destroyed wheat silos at the port would be added to a list of historic buildings, a demand long made by victims' families. "The silos are the only witness to what happened on August 4," Fodoulian said. United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on Monday urged authorities to "take all necessary action to expedite progress in judicial proceedings". The US, British and French embassies also called for accountability. The European Union welcomed recent steps forward, stressing that 'ending impunity is essential for Lebanon's recovery.'
Al Bawaba
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Lebanese president Aoun marks Beirut port blast, ‘Justice will take place'
ALBAWABA - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun marked the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port blast, August 4, and stressed that justice will not die, local media reported Monday. Also Read Lebanon questions ex-minister Nohad Machnouk in Beirut port blast Aoun affirmed that the Lebanese state, with all its institutions, is committed to uncovering the entire truth, "regardless of the obstacles and regardless of the position held." He added, "Justice knows no exceptions, and the law applies to everyone without discrimination." Lebanese National News Agency cited the Lebanesed president, "On this painful day, August 4, we commemorate together the fifth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, that major crime that shook the conscience of the nation and the world, claimed the lives of more than 200 martyrs, wounded thousands of innocent people, and destroyed entire neighborhoods of our beloved capital." Lebanese Civil Defense staff marking the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port blast. (X/Lebanese Civil Defense) On the other hand, the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon released a statement on the Beirut port blast anniversary, saying: "The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed her solidarity with all those affected by this explosion, many of whom are still courageously seeking justice." Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert noted: "Five years on, the tragedy continues to fester, with a glaring absence of justice. The victims, the survivors, and their families deserve full accountability. And they deserve it now." Lebanese Civil Defense posted images on social media showing workers placing flowers on the memorial of the martyrs of the Port of Beirut.
The National
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The National
'Where were you on August 4?'
One question, six words, that are enough to make the colour drain from any Lebanese person's face and bring a rush of catastrophic and chaotic scenes to mind. Five years ago today, the lives of many changed forever. A devastating blast, described as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, rocked the heart of Beirut. It killed more than 220 people, injured thousands and scarred an entire population. Those who were in the capital recall blood on the streets, screams and sirens cutting through the air, as well as fear and panic suffocating the city. Some who survived did so by chance, courtesy of Covid-19 lockdown measures and last-minute cancelled plans. But for those who lost a loved one, it has been five years of seeking justice and answers, to no avail. The National has marked half a decade since the explosion – that continues to cast a long shadow over Lebanon – with a series of stories and reports looking at the aftermath of the blast from many perspectives. From the human toll and the families left with no closure to the economic price and renewed hope for justice from Lebanon's new government, our team of correspondents have put together a package to commemorate a tragic day. This newsletter brings you the best of our coverage. Also, you can join our correspondents who were in Beirut when the explosion happened for a live Q&A today to discuss the aftermath and progress of the investigation. Register here Fifth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion Special reportFive years after the port blast, Beirut's wounds remain unhealed 'No accountability' for Beirut port blast as businesses reopen after self-funded rebuild Beyond the HeadlinesWhy is justice so delayed in Beirut port explosion? No closure for Beirut blast trauma survivors without justice 'I always think of moving back': Lebanese expats who left their hearts in Beirut WatchVideo: Five years since Beirut's port explosion Restored Saint George Hospital stands tall as Beirut marks port blast anniversary ColumnI was there during the Beirut port blast - and my life has never been the same since The new safety measures now in place at Beirut Port, five years on from explosion
Al Arabiya
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Lebanon president promises justice 5 years after Beirut port blast
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday vowed that 'justice is coming,' five years after a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port for which nobody has been held to account. The blast on August 4, 2020 was one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions, devastating swathes of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring over 6,500. The explosion was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer had been stored haphazardly for years after arriving by ship, despite repeated warnings to senior officials. Aoun said that the Lebanese state 'is committed to uncovering the whole truth, no matter the obstacles or how high the positions' involved. 'The law applies to all, without exception,' Aoun said in a statement. Monday has been declared a day of national mourning, and rallies demanding justice are planned later in the day, converging on the port. 'The blood of your loved ones will not be in vain,' the president told victims' families, adding: 'Justice is coming, accountability is coming.' After more than a two-year impasse following political and judicial obstruction, investigating judge Tarek Bitar has finished questioning defendants and suspects, a judicial official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Bitar is waiting for some procedures to be completed and for a response to requests last month to several Arab and European countries for 'information on specific incidents,' the official added, without elaborating. Impunity The judge will then finalize the investigation and refer the file to the public prosecution for its opinion before he issues an indictment decision, the official said. President Aoun said that 'we are working with all available means to ensure the investigations are completed with transparency and integrity.' Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a former International Court of Justice judge, said on Sunday that knowing the truth and ensuring accountability were national issues, decrying decades of official impunity. Bitar resumed his inquiry after Aoun and Salam took office this year pledging to uphold judicial independence, after the balance of power shifted following a devastating war between Israel and militant group Hezbollah. Bitar's probe stalled after the Iran-backed group, long a dominant force in Lebanese politics but weakened by the latest war, had accused him of bias and demanded his removal. Mariana Fodoulian from the association of victims' families said that 'for five years, officials have been trying to evade accountability, always thinking they are above the law.' 'We're not asking for anything more than the truth,' she told AFP. 'We won't stop until we get comprehensive justice.' On Sunday, Culture Minister Ghassan Salame said the port's gutted and partially collapsed wheat silos would be included on a list of historic buildings. Victims' families have long demanded their preservation as a memorial of the catastrophe.
The National
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
'Corruption and negligence': New book uncovers past Beirut port explosions
With the fifth anniversary of Beirut's 2020 port explosion on Monday, one might expect to see memorials and other acts of remembrance across the city, but many in Lebanon are simply trying to move on. Between the continuing economic crisis, regional conflicts and political inaction, the outrage over the Beirut blast and public demands for justice have grown quieter and quieter. The official investigation remains unfinished, and many remain sceptical that those responsible will ever be held to account. Complicating matters further is the fact that Lebanon lacks a reliable public record. Archives are poorly maintained, if they are kept at all. Illuminating and solidifying forgotten heritage has long been a great passion for artist, author and amateur historian Eddy Choueiry, who has brought together his academic background in philosophy and psychology with a quietly patriotic love for the legacy of Lebanon. In the wake of the August 4 blast, however, his creative practice took on a new meaning, unpicking a disaster years in the making. Half a decade later, he plans to present the findings of his research, first in a public lecture hosted by Asabil Public Library in Beirut, and later in a new book, which will be released soon. 'After the explosion, my target was to make a book to represent what we call in French a travail de deuil, or work of mourning,' Choueiry tells The National. 'It's a mourning process and, as is usual with this process, I wanted to do it through art, culture and heritage, so I started the book one week after the blast.' The history of the Port of Beirut stretches back to the Ottoman Empire, which, in 1887, put control of the port into the hands of the French company Compagnie du Port, des Quais et des Entrepots de Beyrouth. The Port of Beirut quickly grew to become a key shipping centre for the region, continuing to expand during the French Mandate thanks to greater funding and trade from France, even after Lebanon became an independent nation in 1943. In 1960, the company was renamed the Gestion et Exploitation du Port de Beyrouth. Unfortunately, the Port of Beirut also earned a reputation for corruption and smuggling. Abandoned crew and cargo were also common occurrences, as was the case with the MV Rhosus, the Moldovan ship which, in 2013, delivered the 2,750 tonne of ammonium nitrate that caused the 2020 blast. Many of the records of the port were destroyed by the explosion, but Choueiry managed to uncover a trove of physical documents kept in the Gestion et Exploitation du Port de Beyrouth offices. It took four years just to go through all the files, which include letters, photographs, maps, contracts and even newspaper articles. 'The old archives of the harbour had been saved – although still damaged – because they were in a closet,' says Choueiry. 'I discovered a lot of documents, so I limited my research to the Ottoman period, the French Mandate period, and then – after our independence – the construction of the silos.' Unbeknownst to most in Lebanon, the 2020 explosion at the port of Beirut, although the most devastating, was not the first such blast. In fact, three other explosions had taken place, in 1919, 1928 and 1934. In the case of the first two events, only one fatality was reported from each incident. In the case of the third, 20 people were killed and 14 were injured. The 1938 case stands out in particular in eerie similarity to the events of 2020. Back then, Warehouse S was used to store hazardous and explosive materials – including gunpowder and TNT – under restricted access but, due to limited space, this holding area had also started to be used for other goods, including flammable textiles and foodstuffs. Questions were also raised regarding the collapse of Warehouse S's roof and the failure of the sprinkler system to prevent fire from spreading through the building following the explosion. Ultimately, no responsible party was ever identified, and the damaged site was built over. 'The authorities launched an inquiry into the cause of that explosion,' Choueiry explains, 'but it led nowhere. Even at the time, it was predicted [in the local press] that it would lead nowhere, as with the two previous port explosions that happened in 1919 and 1928; that the third – 1934 – was going to be the same, without consequences.' Despite the recurring historical pattern of worsening accidents caused by the improper storage and handling of hazardous materials at the port, no lessons were seemingly learnt. When the new grain silos were completed and put into operation in 1970, the port authorities designated Warehouse 12 – the eventual epicentre of the 2020 explosion – as the holding area for such materials; a building almost directly co-located with the silos. 'This is crazy,' says Choueiry. 'The silos stocked grain and wheat for the whole of Lebanon. Who could imagine putting this warehouse in front of the silos? There is no excuse in 2020 that nobody knew about the importance of nitrate, and how it's so dangerous. They are not doing their jobs as they should. It's negligence.' Today, the remains of the damaged silos stand over the Port of Beirut as a scarred reminder of the latest tragedy to befall the harbour, but ensuring that it will be the last requires that Lebanon change its relationship with its complex and often painful past. Through this "mourning work", Choueiry and those like him are attempting to put Lebanon's ephemeral history into concrete forms that will persist and provide clarity for future generations, in the hope that this cycle of abuse, impunity and failure can finally be broken for good. 'We shouldn't forget this injustice that happened to Beirut and to Lebanon,' says Choueiry. 'We are crossing our fingers with the 2020 explosion that – if we are fortunate – we will have answers. God knows how long it's going to take, to tell the truth about what really happened.' 'If you put yourself face-to-face with catastrophe, it's going to be an eternal trauma,' he continues. 'But, if you try to make enough of it into something related to your identity, to your culture, now you are making something fruitful.'
