Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected

Beirut Blast judge, top prosecutor engage in legal battle: Lebanon

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 25 Jan 2023 20:54
3 Min Read

Lebanon's prosecutor general charges the judge leading the investigation into Beirut's port blast and bans him from travel.

  • x
  • Justice Palace in Beirut
    Justice Palace in Beirut

Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the investigation into Beirut's deadly 2020 port blast, refused on Wednesday to step down from the probe, rejecting charges filed against him by Lebanon's top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat in the charged case.

Bitar dropped a surprise earlier this week charging several powerful figures -- including prosecutor general Oueidat -- over the blast and reviving a probe that was suspended for over a year amid intense political and legal pushback.

One of history's biggest non-nuclear explosions, the August 4, 2020 blast, destroyed much of Beirut port and surrounding areas, killing more than 215 people and injuring over 6,500.

Oueidat charged Bitar in order to "prevent sedition"

Oueidat on Tuesday sent a letter to Bitar saying his probe remained suspended and on Wednesday issued a decision, saying the judge did not have the authority to resume his investigation.        

The prosecution service rejected the resumption of the probe. "We were only informed of Bitar's decision through the media," Oueidat told AFP, adding that "since he considers that the general prosecution doesn't exist, we will also act like he doesn't exist."

On Wednesday, Oueidat told AFP that, in order to "prevent sedition", he had "charged investigative judge Tarek Bitar and banned him from travel for rebelling against the judiciary and usurping power."

Bitar says he will not step down

Related News

Wahhab to Al Mayadeen: Judge Tarek Bitar a tool to trigger civil war

Unknown author of historical artwork damaged by Beirut blast revealed

On his part, Bitar said he is still "the investigative judge and I will not step down from this case."

Oueidat "cannot charge a judge who has already charged him," he told AFP, adding that the chief prosecutor "has no authority to charge me."

He told Reuters that he would "continue until I issue an indictment" and said that Oueidat "had no right" to file the charge or release detainees.

A judicial official said Oueidat, who has rejected the charges, had summoned Bitar for Thursday morning but that the investigating judge would "not appear for questioning."

A US State Department spokesperson said Tuesday that "we support and urge Lebanese authorities to complete a swift and transparent investigation into the horrific explosion at the Port of Beirut."

Authorities said the mega-explosion was caused by a fire in a portside warehouse where a vast stockpile of the industrial chemical ammonium nitrate had been haphazardly stored for years.

Oueidat releases all those detained over the explosion

Bitar resumed work on the investigation after a 13-month hiatus, charging eight top officials over the blast -- including Oueidat, the head of General Security Abbas Ibrahim, and State Security agency chief Tony Saliba.

Oueidat, who has rejected the charges, on Wednesday ordered the "release of all those detained over the Beirut port explosion case, without exception" and banned them from travel, according to a judicial document seen by AFP.

Those ordered released include a dual American-Lebanese citizen, as well as the port chief and the head of customs Badri Daher.

Bitar has planned to question 14 suspects next month, including five officials whom he had indicted earlier -- among them ex-prime minister Hassan Diab and former ministers.

Read more: “Truth Uncovered": Al Mayadeen's Exclusive Documentary on Beirut Port Blast

  • Beirut port blast
  • Beirut
  • Beirut port explosion
  • Beirut blast
  • Tarek Bitar
  • Lebanon
  • Ghassan Oueidat

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS