Lebanese President Calls for Judicial Ruling on Beirut Port Blast on Eve of Sixth Anniversary of Disaster

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday, on the eve of the country’s sixth anniversary of the devastating Beirut port explosion, stated that the issuance of the indictment had become “an imperative that cannot tolerate further delay,” calling on the judiciary to “deliver justice to the victims.”

On August 4, 2020, more than 220 people were killed and over 6,000 others injured in a massive explosion at the port, which authorities attributed to the storage of large quantities of ammonium nitrate without safety measures following a fire of unknown origin. It later emerged that officials at various levels were aware of the risks associated with storing the substance but took no action.

In a statement, Aoun emphasized that “the issuance of the indictment by the investigating judge has become an imperative that cannot tolerate further delay,” clarifying that “justice does not mean revenge, but rather establishing the truth, revealing the complete and unadulterated facts, and holding accountable anyone who neglected, failed, or caused this disaster, regardless of their position or status.”

He stressed that “the Lebanese judiciary is called upon today more than ever before to demonstrate its independence and its ability to deliver justice to the victims,” considering that “the indictment is not merely a legal procedure, but a right for the martyrs to the living, and a right for their families who have waited long for their loved ones’ souls to find peace and for their suffering to end with full knowledge of the truth.”

Investigating Judge Tariq Bitar concluded his investigations in late March, according to a judicial source who told AFP at the time, after indicting approximately 70 individuals, including politicians, security and military leaders, and officials.

The case file was referred to the General Prosecutor’s Office, which is required to review it and submit its recommendations, before referring it back to the investigating judge in preparation for issuing the indictment.

The file has remained with the General Prosecutor’s Office since then.

Currently, no one is detained in Lebanon in connection with the case.

Since 2023, the investigation has been mired in Lebanon’s political labyrinth, after Hezbollah launched a campaign demanding Bitar’s resignation, which was later followed by dozens of lawsuits aimed at preventing him from handling the case.

However, he was able to resume his work in early 2025, following the election of Joseph Aoun as president, the formation of a government headed by Najib Mikati, and judicial appointments, amid a shift in the country’s political balance with Hezbollah’s influence declining domestically after its war with Israel. Since then, several legal obstacles that had hindered Bitar’s work have been overcome, including the lifting of a travel ban issued against him.

Victims’ families have continued to demand justice and prevent political interference in the judiciary’s work since the disaster, in a country where a culture of impunity has prevailed for decades.

In a post on the X platform on Monday, Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed that “there is no compromise on justice… even if it is sometimes delayed.”

Mikati added, “Let no one doubt that there is no cover for any official, regardless of their position, neither in the Beirut port explosion case nor in any other file. Accountability will not spare anyone.”