President Joseph Aoun (second from left), in a meeting with Justice Minister Adel Nassar (left) and the president of the Supreme Judicial Council, Souheil Abboud, on July 4, 2025. (Credit: X/@LBPresidency)
President Joseph Aoun urged Lebanese magistrates on Friday to "not yield to pressure or intimidation" during a tour of the Justice Ministry and Beirut Courthouse, where he met many judicial officials. This visit by the president came as a bill on judicial independence is under discussion in the parliamentary committee after being approved by the government and several sensitive cases involving officials or former officials have been opened.
Aoun began his visit at the ministry by meeting with Justice Minister Adel Nassar in his office. He took advantage of the visit to "reaffirm the crucial importance of delivering justice in this critical period for the country," according to a statement from the presidency. The president then headed to the headquarters of the Supreme Judicial Council, where he was welcomed by its president, Judge Souheil Abboud. Continuing his tour, President Aoun visited the office of the public prosecutor near the Court of Cassation, Jamal Hajjar.
Also present at this meeting were the justice minister, the president of the Supreme Judicial Council and the president of the Judicial Inspection, Judge Ayman Oueidat. The president also visited the financial prosecutor's office, where he met the acting prosecutor, Dora al-Khazen, who is in charge of several important files such as accusations of corruption in the online gambling sector, with suspicions linked to political circles, as well as the case of smuggling counterfeit medicines in which the former sister-in-law of MP Ali Hassan Khalil, right-hand man of Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, is implicated.
'Judge fairly, based on the laws'
At the end of his tour, President Aoun addressed the magistrates: "I urge you to judge fairly, based on the laws. Do not acquit a criminal, do not convict an innocent person. Do not yield to pressure or intimidation."
"The Presidency stands by you," he added, warning against "any negligence," which undermines the "prestige of the state and the rights of citizens." He insisted on the importance of accelerating procedures related to "major crimes, especially those that have shaken Lebanon and the world" like that of Aug. 4, 2020, as well as "terrorist attacks and drug trafficking."
The investigation into the explosion of August 2020 at the Beirut Port, led by the examining judge at the Court of Justice, Tarek Bitar, has experienced numerous roadblocks due to appeals filed by officials pursued by the magistrate, and the indictment has been awaited for years. Other cases are currently in the hands of the justice system, such as suspicion of corruption against former Economy Minister Amine Salam.
During his tour, Aoun expressed his "great confidence" in the Lebanese judicial system, which plays "a key role in the national progress process and in the fight against corruption and crime in all its forms." He called for "unity" among the different branches of the judiciary.
At the end of May, the government approved a bill on the independence of the judiciary. Proposed in 2018, it aimed to ensure transparent justice independent of political interference, but it underwent significant changes during its passage in the parliamentary committee, drawing criticism from civil organizations. The legislative process has been marked by delays and referrals to the committee, and in February 2022, the text was sent back for further revisions.
Appointments are also still ongoing within the judicial apparatus, after years of delay caused by political interference and pressure.