BEIRUT — A group of judges called on Friday for a weeklong strike across Lebanon starting from Monday to “reject the erosion of judicial dignity at all levels” after a meeting at the Court of Cassation to address deteriorating economic conditions, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The judges’ statement called on the Lebanese people to “demand political leaders, who have been in power for decades, to support the bankrupt state treasury with their own funds.”
• The judges also demanded that the High Judicial Council, the State Shura Council and the State Audit Bureau to call a “general meeting of magistrates in order to find solutions to the disastrous judicial situation.”
• Judicial aides and judges have recently held several strikes to denounce deteriorating working conditions. In addition to the devaluation of the judiciaries’ salaries in view of the Lebanese lira’s depreciation, there have been complaints about the working conditions in justice palaces, where there are issues with water, electricity and maintenance.