After weeks since suspending the Beirut Blast investigation, Judge Fadi Sawan was granted the O.K. to resume his work.
On Monday, Lebanon’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court, allowed Sawan to proceed with questioning the country’s officials and civil servants as part of the probe into the Beirut Port explosion.
The investigation was on hold for 3 full weeks after two indicted former ministers, Ghazi Zeaiter and Ali Hassan Khalil, requested for Sawan’s removal from the case. According to NNA, the court had no decision concerning the matter of these two indicted ministers.
A month ago, Sawan charged both former ministers, in addition to former minister Youssef Fenianos and the outgoing prime minister Hassan Diab with negligence leading to the death of hundreds and injury to thousands.
The country’s officials were shocked by Sawan’s decision to summon the prime minister and responded with criticism, condemnation, and called it “unconstitutional”. The Minister of Interior himself declared that he will not implement their arrests.
Former PMs also issued a joint statement saying that if Diab were to be charged, then President Michel Aoun was just as responsible and should also be held accountable.
Following the political stance against the judge and the course of justice, people held protests outside of Sawan’s residence in his support, holding banners that read “down with immunity” and calling on him to continue with the investigation.
It has been over 5 months since the explosion, and the nation is still waiting for justice to be served.
