Justice palace in Beirut (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Lebanese caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury referred some 114 members of the Judges' Club to judicial inspection on Wednesday, after the judges allegedly failed to comply with a ministry decision concerning media appearances.
Last April, Khoury issued a circular forbidding judges from "appearing in the media and giving their opinion without prior authorization" from the Ministry of Justice.
Founded in 2018 and a member of the International Union of Judges, Lebanon's Judges' Club claims to fight against corruption and defend the rights and independence of the judiciary. Some members of the club did not comply with Khoury's circular and — in social media statements and public appearances — continued to speak out against a judiciary system crippled by political interference.
Khoury's decision to refer 114 judges for inspection caused a huge outcry in judicial circles, especially because the Judges' Club is widely considered to be a crucial "free voice" in the context of Lebanon's decaying justice system.
Judges' Club president Faysal Makki has previously faced two summonses in recent months, though no action against him has yet been taken.
'Reserve obligation'
A week ago, Khoury reportedly submitted all recent and old statements issued by the Judges' Club for judicial inspection.
The Judges' Club's administrative committee appeared on Wednesday, a few days after being notified of the hearing.
In addition to club President Makki, Vice President Paula Haykal and judges Nadine Rizk, Marianne Anani, Joseph Tamer, Tarek Bou Nassar, Fatmeh Majed and Noureddine Sadek were questioned by a judicial inspector.
No results were obtained from the hearing, and no new date has been set for a further investigative session.
L'Orient-Le Jour was unable to reach Khoury for comment, though a source close to the minister claimed that the judges were "violating their reserve obligation."
'Voice of a free judiciary'
Several judges contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour said the minister's decision contradicts the right to freedom of expression.
"He is disturbed by the voice of a free judiciary," said one judge. "Rather than defending justice against the interference of politicians, he wants to punish judges who fight against this interference."
Another judge focused on the "colleagues who have committed violations in sensitive cases, such as the double explosion at the port of Beirut" on Aug. 4, 2020.
"Minister Khoury did not refer them to the judicial inspection," the judge noted. "Last January, the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Ghassan Oueidat, released 17 detainees in the case, whereas the law stipulates that only the judge [in this case Tarek Bitar] who ordered their arrest can release them."
"Similarly, Khoury did not refer the case of the Advocate General of the Court of Cassation, Imad Kabalan [now retired], who had earlier authorized the media to interview accused detainees, including port officials, from inside the prison," the same judge adds.
The investigation into the Aug. 4 Beirut port explosion has been paralyzed by numerous political and administrative obstacles.
