Lebanon Court to release detainees linked to Beirut port blast

The Lebanese Court of Cassation decided, on Wednesday, to release all those who were arrested in the Beirut port explosion in 2020, Anadolu News Agency reported.

Public Prosecutor of Cassation, Judge Ghassan Oueidat, issued a document that said “all those arrested in the port explosion case will be released with the condition of restricting their travel”.

“The decision comes at a time when the judicial investigator, Judge Tarek Bitar, considered himself empowered by the Public Prosecutor to take whatever measures he deems appropriate”, the document added.

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Bitar resumed an inquiry, Monday, into the deadly blast after a 13-month suspension because of political resistance to his attempts to interrogate top officials.

He decided to question Prosecutor-General, Ghassan Oueidat, according to media reports. But Oueidat refused to be summoned, claiming Tuesday that Bitar “has no jurisdiction”.

“This will be an unprecedented move in Lebanon’s judicial history,” a judicial source told Anadolu on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Beirut was rocked by a massive explosion on 4 August, 2020 that killed more than 200 Lebanese and injured 6,500. About 50,000 housing units suffered damage, with property damage estimated at about $15 billion.

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