Second day of mobilization by justice auxiliaries

BEIRUT — For the second consecutive day, justice auxiliaries observed a one-hour protest sit-in (from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.) on Thursday in the main hall of the Beirut courthouse, as well as at other locations across the country.

They are protesting “the state’s slowness” in implementing the decision taken by Cabinet on Feb. 16 to pay six additional salaries to public sector employees.

The demonstrators reiterated their rejection of what they consider to be “delaying tactics and postponements” in the implementation of the government’s decision, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Thursday. They also demanded a revision of the transportation allowance, which they deem “unjust,” amid a sharp rise in fuel prices and worsening economic and social conditions.

The mobilization of justice auxiliaries is occurring against a backdrop of growing protests within the public sector, as the economic and financial crisis continues and the purchasing power of public employees declines.

Contacted by L’Orient-Le Jour, a court clerk at the Jdeidé courthouse believes that “the injustice is so great that one should go on strike.” However, he stressed, on condition of anonymity, that at this stage this option has not yet been considered, as the justice auxiliaries are “concerned about the interests of litigants.”

“In the event of a strike, their cases would be hindered, especially because they would have to proceed with new notifications to their opponents in lawsuits, which would cost them more time and money,” the official explained, stressing that the decision not to strike was made in accordance with a recommendation from the Judicial Inspection authority.