View of the ceremony at the Saïda courthouse. (Credit: Mountasser Abdallah.)
BEIRUT — Justice Minister Adel Nassar marked the 26th anniversary of the assassination of four magistrates with a ceremony at the Saida courthouse on Thursday, attended by judiciary officials and human rights advocates.
Representing President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Justice Minister Adel Nassar delivered a powerful message during Thursday's ceremony at the Saida courthouse, stating that "the arrest of the assassins is the true response to this cowardly crime."
The tragedy, which unfolded on June 8, 1999, claimed the lives of four prominent judicial figures: Hassan Osman, the first president of the Court of Appeal, Walid Harmouche, president of the Court of First Instance, Assem Bou Daher, public defender on appeal, and Imad Chehab, an advisor to the Court of Appeal. The four were gunned down during a hearing in the old criminal courtroom, shot through a rear window. Five others were injured in the attack.
The motive behind the assassinations has remained a topic of intense speculation, with the judges having been in the midst of ruling on the case of two Iraqi nationals and a Palestinian at the time.
In 2019, the Judicial Council had sentenced to death in absentia Ahmad Abdelkarim, also known as Abou Mehjen, and five of his accomplices, who were found guilty of harboring the fugitives at the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh. Another defendant, Wissam Hussein Touhaibesh, was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.
Among the personalities present at the commemoration were MP Michel Moussa, representing Parliament President Nabih Berri, Higher Council of the Judiciary (HJC) President Judge Souheil Abboud, First President of the South Court of Appeal Judge Ghassan Mahati, Beirut Bar Association Representative Maya Shehab, and Prosecutor of the South Court of Appeal Judge Rahif Ramadan.
After reading the names of the four magistrates and calling for a minute of silence, Minister Nassar reminded that they "died on the field of honor of justice, the highest symbol of the Republic, under the bullets of betrayal." "They have entered history, for justice can only bear their names forever as a beacon on the path of justice and the judiciary," he added.
In a message to the judiciary, the minister of justice also emphasized that "anyone who takes up a pen to sign a decision must remember that four men fell in the field of honor to defend justice and the judiciary."
'Today, we not only commemorate the anniversary of this martyrdom, but we once again renew our commitment to the judges who fell in the performance of their duty as they worked to achieve justice,' he declared.
Building a rule of law
Minister Nassar further emphasized Lebanon's commitment to "building the rule of law and rejecting illegal arms," a clear reference to Hezbollah’s arsenal. He praised the president and prime minister for their dedication to state-building, protecting the people, and consolidating authority within the official armed forces. "All our efforts will be directed toward this goal, which also honors the memory of our martyrs," he declared. "The perpetrators must be arrested — this is the true response to this cowardly assassination," he reiterated.
Nassar also commended the judiciary’s efforts, particularly the work of the President of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM) and its members, who are currently safeguarding judicial independence.
The ceremony included a heartfelt tribute from HJC President Souheil Abboud. "The four magistrates have left us a legacy written with their blood," Abboud said, adding that "this sacrifice will serve as an example in building a state of law, justice, and an independent judiciary capable of overcoming all challenges." He called on authorities to implement the 2019 judicial decision for the arrest of the assassins.
The victims' families were represented by Omar Shehab, the son of Judge Imad Shehab. "The pain still lives in our hearts, and we will not give up — we will not remain silent [...] until the Lebanese state reclaims its authority over every inch of land, ensuring that the murderers are brought to justice," he vowed.
In a statement made on Sunday, the President of the Republic affirmed, "The blood of these martyrs will not be shed in vain. We will continue to pursue the truth and bring the criminals to justice, no matter how long it takes. Nothing will intimidate the judiciary or prevent it from fulfilling its noble mission."
