Families of Aug. 4 victims urge Aoun and Salam to 'implement their commitments'

The families of the victims of the deadly Aug. 4, 2020, explosion at the Beirut port held their monthly sit-in Tuesday for the third consecutive month at the foot of the Emigré statue, opposite the port. The gathering had been interrupted for more than two months due to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

The demonstrators welcomed recent statements by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Justice Minister Adel Nassar regarding upcoming judicial reforms and the guarantee of judicial independence. They urged officials to “follow through on their commitments,” stressing that “only actions will prove them.”

More than four years after the blast, which killed 235 people and injured more than 6,500 others, the judicial investigation has yet to be completed. The probe, led by Judge Tarek Bitar, has faced repeated obstacles and political interference, delaying progress.

“The success of this mandate depends on implementing judicial reforms and ensuring judicial independence. Enforcing the law and holding the corrupt accountable are the only ways to pull Lebanon out of its crises, large and small,” the families said in a statement.

The participants reiterated their hopes in Aoun, elected Jan. 9 after more than two years of presidential vacancy. In his oath of office, he pledged to work with the next government to strengthen judicial independence, particularly in the port investigation.

The families also voiced support for Bitar, who in mid-January made a decisive move to advance the case by pursuing charges against 12 security and port officials, with hearings beginning Feb. 7.

They further called on acting Attorney General at the Court of Cassation Jamal Hajjar to “rectify serious violations of the law.” “The attorney general must fully assume his responsibilities, uphold the mission entrusted to him, and facilitate his work within a legal framework,” the statement said.

“We will not be silent until the truth is revealed and those responsible are brought to justice,” the families concluded.