BEIRUT - A delegation of the families of victims of the Beirut port explosion in August 2020 was received Saturday by Justice Minister Adel Nassar at his office in the ministry, to express the urgency and importance of pursuing the investigation “in a thorough and independent manner, away from any form of interference from politicians or their paid spokespersons.”

In a statement released on this occasion, the victims' parents welcomed the appointments to the vacant judicial posts within the Supreme Judicial Council (CSM) and the appellate chambers competent to review appeals in this complex case.

The explosion of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate at the Beirut port on August 4, 2020, killed more than 220 people and injured more than 6,000 others. In the years that followed, the action of the judge in charge of the investigation, Tarek Bitar, was hindered by multiple lawsuits filed against him by individuals dissatisfied with being prosecuted for possible involvement, but the magistrate resumed his investigation since the formation of the last government in February, and the numerous judicial vacancies are being filled.

A delegation of French investigators is expected in Beirut on Monday and should meet with Judge Bitar. This exchange of information comes as the magistrate has so far been unable to access foreign investigation elements due to his travel ban decreed by former Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidate in January 2023 and the inability to send international letters of request.

The family representatives learned that the minister had taken the necessary steps for the delegation of French judges to come to Lebanon at the beginning of next week to exchange information with the Lebanese judiciary, particularly on the conclusions of the French investigation. Shortly after August 4, the French judiciary had presented three technical reports based notably on soil analysis and satellite images. However, according to an informed source, these images have not proven useful to the investigation.