Lebanon MPs stall lifting immunity in port blast probe

Relatives of the Beirut’s blast victims demonstrate and shout slogans while lifting portraits of their deceased during a protest on Friday following a judge’s decision to pursue senior political and security figures in the case. (AFP)

• It emerged that officials had known about the explosive substance being stored unsafely at the port for years
• Leading judge demanded parliament to lift immunity of 3 ex-ministers, who are current MPs Ali Hasan Khalil, Ghazi Zaiter and Nohad Machnouk

BEIRUT: Lebanese parliamentarians failed to make progress in the Beirut port blast investigation Friday weeks before its first anniversary, demanding more proof before they lift immunity for ex-ministers wanted for questioning.
Hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer exploded on the dockside at Beirut port last August 4, killing more than 200 people, injuring thousands and ravaging swathes of the capital.
Afterwards, it emerged that officials had known about the explosive substance being stored unsafely at the port for years.
Earlier this month, the leading judge in the case, Tareq Bitar, said he had demanded that parliament lift the immunity of ex-finance minister Ali Hasan Khalil, former public works minister Ghazi Zaiter and ex-interior minister Nohad Machnouk.
He said he was also taking steps toward charging former public works minister Yusef Fenianos, as he looked at possible charges of “probable intent to murder” and “negligence.”
Deputy speaker Elie Ferzli said parliament’s administration and justice committee met on Friday and decided to “request all evidence available in the investigation, as well as all documents that prove suspicions.”
He said they would reconvene once they had received a reply, to decide whether or not to waive immunity.
Lawyer and activist Nizar Saghieh said the committee’s request went against the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature, and “violated the confidentiality of the investigation.”
The hashtag #lift_immunity_now began trending in Lebanon as protesters gathered outside the residence of the parliament speaker where the meeting took place.
“Immunity has to be lifted immediately,” said Ibrahim Hoteit, a representative of families of those killed in the devastating explosion.
The activist, who lost his brother in the disaster, said stalling the decision was “shameful, in view of the size of the crime.”