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Six years on, Beirut port blast victims' families still await justice
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Crime & Justice

Six years on, Beirut port blast victims' families still await justice

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Families of Beirut port explosion victims marked the sixth anniversary, demanding justice and accountability for the 2020 catastrophe.
  • Despite the passage of time and a judicial probe involving 70 defendants, no one has been held accountable, and the case remains with the public prosecutor.
  • Victims' families expressed enduring pain and frustration, emphasizing their need to know who was responsible for the explosion that killed over 220 people.

On the sixth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, victims' families gathered to demand answers and accountability, decrying the persistent official impunity in Lebanon. The massive blast on August 4, 2020, claimed over 220 lives, injured more than 6,500, and devastated large parts of the capital.

Until now, we haven't gotten justice. There has been no accountability and nobody has been arrested.

— Hiyam al-BikaiHiyam al-Bikai, whose son was killed in the explosion, expresses the ongoing lack of justice six years later.

"Until now, we haven't gotten justice. There has been no accountability and nobody has been arrested," said Hiyam al-Bikai, whose son Ahmad was among the victims. Speaking at a commemoration event at the port, she added, "This is an extremely painful anniversary. Our pain has not stopped and our wound has not healed."

Lebanese authorities attributed the explosion to a fire in a warehouse storing tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer haphazardly for years, despite prior warnings to officials. However, no one has been held responsible. "We are waiting for the indictment in order to know how our children died, who brought the nitrate, who stored it, who set off the blast... We want them to be held to account," Bikai stated, demanding a full indictment without any cover-ups.

This is an extremely painful anniversary. Our pain has not stopped and our wound has not healed.

— Hiyam al-BikaiAl-Bikai describes the enduring emotional toll on victims' families.

In March, a judicial official indicated that Judge Tarek Bitar had concluded his investigation into approximately 70 defendants, including current and former politicians, security and military officials, and civil servants. The case was then referred to the public prosecutor for review. The case is still pending with the prosecutor, and no arrests have been made in Lebanon in connection with the explosion.

We are waiting for the indictment in order to know how our children died, who brought the nitrate, who stored it, who set off the blast... We want them to be held to account.

— Hiyam al-BikaiAl-Bikai details the families' demand for a full investigation and accountability.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar informed AFP that the prosecutor is preparing a response and expects to refer the case back to the investigating judge within 60 to 90 days, which would allow a trial to commence. President Joseph Aoun declared the indictment "a necessity that can no longer be delayed," and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed "no cover for any official, no matter their position."

We want the full indictment, without any cover for anyone.

— Hiyam al-BikaiAl-Bikai emphasizes the demand for transparency in the legal proceedings.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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