Protesters gathered in solidarity with William Noun, in Beirut, on Jan. 14, 2023. (Credit: Joao Sousa/ 'Orient Today)
A lawyer and the head of a local human rights organization told L'Orient-Le Jour on Saturday that the arrest of William Noun, activist and member of a collective of families of victims of the Aug. 4, 2020 port explosion, is "unacceptable in the current circumstances."
Paul Morcos, lawyer and president of the Justicia Foundation, told L'Orient-Le Jour that the statement made a few days ago by William Noun during a television program, in which he indicated his desire to blow up the Justice Palace in Beirut, would be likely to lead to proceedings against him "in normal circumstances." However, he said, "in the current circumstances, where justice does not work, where the case of the Beirut port blast is completely stopped, it becomes unacceptable."
"The procedure is therefore an anomaly." he added.
"Can we apply the law in this case, and not apply it in the main case, that of the explosion at the port?" asked Morcos, who denounces "the absence of justice and the non-functioning of the judiciary."
Noun has been detained since Friday night by the State Security.
His arrest, denounced by many political leaders, has provoked a solidarity movement and dozens of people are currently demonstrating in front of the State Security offices in Ramlet al-Baida, Beirut.