Magistrates gathered at the Beirut Courthouse to protest against their social situation, in March 2022. (Illustrative photo DR)
BEIRUT — Judges have decided to continue their now weeklong strike protesting low pay and deteriorating living conditions, following a meeting on Tuesday of the General Assembly of Judges at Beirut’s Court of Cassation, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The judges on Tuesday discussed the difficult living, social and health conditions they now suffer due to their low wages, especially after the central bank last month walked back a decision to pay their salaries at the LL8,000 exchange rate just weeks after announcing the measure.
• During the meeting, judges stated that communication efforts with officials about the issue had not been fruitful. Attendees of the meeting reportedly decided unanimously to continue their strike.
• The adjustment of the judges’ salaries from the LL1,507 rate to the more beneficial LL8,000 rate was initially reported in early July, before the central bank revoked the new wage exchange rate for them on July 28.
• The monthly salary a judge receives is presently worth between $150 and $350, depending on the judge’s rank, when converted from Lebanese lira to dollars at the current parallel market exchange rate.
