A Changan vehicle, bearing a fake judge's plate. (Credit: DR)
BEIRUT— Four men, suspected by the Beirut Court of Appeal of impersonating international judges, were interrogated in custody on Tuesday by Beirut's investigating judge, Assaad Bayram.
According to a source at the Palace of Justice interviewed by L'Orient-Le Jour, during their questioning, they allegedly stated that they never intended to claim the status of judges in Lebanon or handle any judicial disputes in the country.
They also reportedly claimed that the International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC), with which they are associated, is based in London and primarily operates online in arbitration, mediation, and justice promotion. They emphasized it is an NGO rather than a judicial entity.
Judge Bayram forwarded the details of the interrogation to the prosecutor's office, which will provide an opinion. The judge is expected to issue an indictment next week. Arrest warrants issued by Bayram extended their detention, which began July 5.
In addition to the four "fake" judges, two sellers of distinctive judge plates were questioned. They had sold plates resembling vehicle license plates without verifying their status. The two were released and accused only of traffic violations.
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