Families of Beirut Port Blast Victims Seek Compensation from MPs Close to Berri

This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
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Families of Beirut Port Blast Victims Seek Compensation from MPs Close to Berri

This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)
This photo shows a general view of the scene of the explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP)

The legal representatives of the families of the Beirut port explosion victims have resorted to a civil court to demand financial compensation from two MPs close to parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for their involvement in the 2020 disaster.

The families turned to Judge Zalfa al-Hassan to demand that MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zoaiter pay hefty compensations, accusing them of “reckless abuse of justice.”

They urged the judge to determine their place of residence so that they can be informed of their scheduled dates of investigation and to force them to pay compensation.

A judicial source at the civil court said the case has taken its course “in shape” but in practice, it acknowledged to Asharq Al-Awsat difficulty in “informing politicians of their hearing dates.”

An employee tasked with delivering the judge’s orders faced difficulty in reaching the houses of the MPs due to the security protection they enjoy.

Should the MPs fail to be reached, then their summons would be released in the media

Courts often resort to such moves when suspects fail to comply with summons and they would then be viewed as fugitives.

However, failure to summon politicians, whose homes are generally known to the public, marks a precedent.

The source explained that the problem doesn’t lie with the judiciary, but in the legal texts that bind the judges and force them to commit to them to the letter. This has led to delays in the investigation in the blast.

The solution lies in amending some legal texts at the criminal and civil courts so that in the end cases can either be accepted or rejected, instead of he added.

Many in Lebanon blame the port disaster, which killed more than 215 people, on safety failings by senior political and security officials. Accountability has proven elusive.

Khalil and Zoaiter were charged in December 2020 but deny any wrongdoing and have declined to attend interrogation hearings, citing immunity afforded to them by their parliamentary seats.

An arrest warrant was issued for Khalil but was not implemented by security forces, who cited parliamentary immunity.

Lawsuits filed by suspects including the two MPS against the judge investigating the blast have stalled the probe for months.

Lawyer Shoukry al-Haddad told Asharq Al-Awsat that Judge al-Hassan is investigating where Khalil and Zoaiter live.

The representatives of the families have asked the court to resort to extraordinary measures to deliver the summons, including publishing it in the media.

“How is it possible that the judiciary cannot reach two MPs, who were recently reelected by the people and elected as members of the administration and justice committee, and whose movement is known to the public?” Haddad wondered.

The lawsuits against the lawmakers demand that they pay compensation of around 3.5 million dollars for damages incurred from their obstruction of justice.

The families started with Khalil and Zoaiter because they have been the most adamant about eluding summons and have resorted to their legal teams to avoid court orders.

More lawsuits will be filed against other lawmakers who have abused their power to obstruct justice, said Haddad.

“It is unfortunate that some politicians have set up models of reckless behavior, which has now become the norm, to avoid accountability,” he lamented.



Blinken Seeks to Avert Syria Turmoil with Europeans on Final Trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
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Blinken Seeks to Avert Syria Turmoil with Europeans on Final Trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading on Thursday to Rome for talks with European counterparts on bringing stability to Syria in the face of flare-ups with Türkiye, capping what is likely his final trip.
Blinken had been expected to remain in Italy through the weekend to join President Joe Biden but the outgoing US leader scrapped his trip, which was to include an audience with Pope Francis, to address wildfires sweeping Los Angeles.
Blinken, on a trip that has taken him to South Korea, Japan and France, was heading on Thursday from Paris and will meet for dinner in Rome with counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and Italy.
In Paris on Wednesday, Blinken said the United States was united with the Europeans on seeking a peaceful, stable Syria, a month after the opposition factions toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.
But concerns have mounted over Türkiye’s threats against Syrian Kurdish fighters, who have effectively run their own state during the brutal civil war engulfing Syria.
A war monitor said that battles between Turkish-backed groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have worked with the United States on Washington's main stated priority -- battling the ISIS extremist group -- but Türkiye says the SDF has links with PKK militants at home.
Blinken in Paris said that Türkiye had "legitimate concerns" and that the SDF should gradually be integrated into a revamped national army, with foreign fighters removed.
"That's a process that's going to take some time. And in the meantime, what is profoundly not in the interest of everything positive we see happening in Syria would be a conflict," Blinken told reporters.
"We'll work very hard to make sure that that doesn't happen."
Blinken said he expected no change on goals in Syria from US President-elect Donald Trump, who takes over on January 20.
During his last term, Trump briefly said he would accede to a plea by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pull out US troops that have been working in Syria with the Kurdish forces.
But he backed down after counter-appeals led by French President Emmanuel Macron.
When to ease sanctions?
Also on the agenda in Rome will be whether and when to ease sanctions on Syria.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday that some sanctions "could be lifted quickly".
The US Treasury Department said this week it would ease enforcement on restrictions that affect essential services.
But US officials say they will wait to see progress before any wider easing of sanctions -- and the Biden administration is unlikely in its final days to accept the political costs of removing Syria's victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels from the US "terrorism" blacklist.
While Western powers are largely in synch on Syria, some differences remain.
Blinken reiterated US calls on European countries to repatriate citizens of theirs detained in Syria for working with the ISIS group and languishing in vast camps run by the Kurdish fighters.
France and Britain, with painful memories of attacks by homegrown extremists, have little desire to bring militants back.
The Rome talks come a week after the French and German foreign ministers, Jean-Noel Barrot and Annalena Baerbock, jointly visited Damascus and met new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to encourage an inclusive transition.
Sharaa, has promised to protect minorities after the fall of the iron-fisted but largely secular Assad.
A senior US official in turn said last month on meeting Sharaa that Washington was dropping a $10-million bounty on his head.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will pay his own visit to Syria on Friday, during which he plans to announce an initial development aid package.
Italy's hard-right government has pledged to reduce immigration. Millions of Syrians sought asylum in Europe during the civil war, triggering a backlash in some parts of the continent that shook up European politics.
In contrast to other major European powers, Italy had moved to normalize ties with Assad just weeks before he fell, presuming at the time that he had effectively won the war.