Aoun: Judiciary Must Prove Its Independence, Port Blast Indictment Cannot Wait
President of the Republic Joseph Aoun called for the issuance of an indictment in the Beirut port explosion investigation, saying justice, truth and accountability remained obligations that could not be erased by time.
Marking the sixth memory of the August 4 blast, Aoun said Lebanon continued to confront an unhealed national wound and a tragedy that had transformed the port, a vital economic lifeline, into the scene of one of the gravest disasters in the country’s modern history.
He paid tribute to those killed and injured and to the families who had waited years for answers, saying the anniversary was not merely an occasion for mourning but a reminder of the duty to uncover the full truth and hold those responsible to account.
Aoun said the country could not restore confidence in its institutions unless the judicial process was completed, stressing that the issuance of the indictment by the investigating judge had become an urgent necessity.
Justice does not mean revenge, Aoun said. It means establishing the truth in full and holding accountable everyone who neglected their duties, failed to act or contributed to this catastrophe, regardless of their position or capacity.
He said justice could not be divided and no one could be placed beyond the authority of the law.
Aoun urged the Lebanese judiciary to demonstrate its independence and ability to deliver justice to the victims, describing the indictment as more than a legal procedure and as a right owed to those killed and their families.
He renewed his commitment to the rule of law as the only safeguard against a repetition of the tragedy, saying Lebanon could emerge stronger from its ordeal once justice was fully achieved and citizens felt that their lives and dignity were protected by the law.
