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Beirut blast families demand accountability as investigation stalls

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Families of Beirut blast victims demand accountability after a domestic investigation named 70 officials and security officers.
  • The investigation, suspended for years due to lawsuits against the judge, was recently completed but faces further delays.
  • Families fear the case will be stalled indefinitely, leading to impunity, and are seeking international support for a trial.

Six years after the devastating Beirut port explosion, families of the victims are demanding accountability, not just promises. The blast on August 4, 2020, killed at least 218 people, injured thousands, and left many disabled. It was caused by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate left to rot in the capital's heart, a fact known in writing by top state officials.

The explosion that killed at least 218 people, wounded 7,000, and left more than 150 physically disabled was no accident.

— Families of Beirut blast victimsDescribing the cause and impact of the August 4, 2020 explosion.

For years, the investigation has been stalled by political interference. The first judge was removed for summoning ministers, and his successor, Judge Tarek Bitar, faced numerous lawsuits from those he sought to question. Politicians allegedly used self-written immunity to evade answers. Families feel their loved ones have been buried twice: once in death, and once under state bureaucracy.

In March, Lebanon's domestic investigation concluded, naming 70 officials and security officers. While welcomed as a breakthrough, the file now rests with Public Prosecutor Ahmad Rami Al Hajj, with no deadline for his review. Until he provides his opinion, Judge Bitar cannot issue indictments, effectively pausing the path to trial. Families fear this delay will lead to "impunity by exhaustion," as files often gather dust until the world forgets.

We buried our beloved ones twice: once in the ground, and once under the paperwork of a state determined to protect itself.

— Families of Beirut blast victimsExpressing frustration with the prolonged investigation and perceived state obstruction.

The grief extends beyond Lebanon, with victims from Syria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Pakistan, Palestine, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, France, Australia, and the United States. Some governments have offered support, including French forensic experts and Australia's call for a transparent investigation at the UN Human Rights Council. Internationally, a London court found the ammonium nitrate company liable, and a case is proceeding in the United States, offering glimmers of hope for justice.

an investigation that never becomes a trial is accountability denied, it is impunity by exhaustion.

— Families of Beirut blast victimsHighlighting their fear that the stalled investigation will prevent justice.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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