Hacking Lebanese Politics #18: Inside the victims' families' fight for justice after Aug. 4

L'Orient-Le Jour

4 days ago

Almost five years have passed since the Beirut port explosion. Nearly 250 people were killed. Thousands were injured. A city was torn apart.
The fight for justice is still dragging.
While the investigation at home stalled, the families of the victims kept going. They turned their grief into legal action. They filed cases, challenged politicians and called on the international community to act.
So what have the families actually managed to do? What legal steps have they taken? And how close are they to getting the answers they deserve?
Let's break it down.
1. How did it all start? Who brought the families together, and what's the deal with the Association?
Two months after the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion, with no answers or accountability, only grief and silence, the victims' families came together around action.
In Oct. 2020, they formed the Committee for the Families of the Victims of the Aug. 4 Explosion, also known as the Families' Association. It came together right after hundreds (700+) of criminal complaints were filed. That moment marked the shift from shock and loss to a focused fight for justice.
From the start, their demands were clear:
1. Justice for the victims
2. Full accountability for those responsible
3. Protection of the rights of victims and their families, under both Lebanese and international law
4. Full compensation for all losses
5. A seat at the table in government discussions, public forums and international aid efforts
6. An independent investigation led by the United Nations Human Rights Council
7. Preservation of the port grain silos as a memorial site
8. Recognition and compensation for the injured, including the hundreds of people who became permanently disabled as a result of the explosion
The Lebanese Union for People with Physical Disabilities (LPHU) has since joined the families in their demands. Around 800 people were left with life-altering disabilities, including at least 20 children. One of the first voices to speak out was Ibrahim Hoteit, whose brother died in the explosion. For a while, he was the face of the movement, rallying families and pushing for their demands. But in late 2021, he changed course.
He released a video calling for the removal of Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator on the case. Many allege that the group he now represents (The Committee for the Gathering of the Victims and Injured of the Beirut Port Explosion), was formed under pressure from Hezbollah and its allies, two of whose members are facing charges in the investigation.
In Jan. 2025, after President Joseph took office, Bitar resumed the port blast probe and summoned a dozen officials. Before the names of those summoned were made public, the Committee led by Hoteit met with Prosecutor Jamal Hajjar to submit documents and criticized Bitar for excluding certain names, including that of former director of customs, Raymond Khoury. But Khoury was already on the list of people summoned, released shortly after.
Most families backed Bitar and saw him as their best hope for justice. Since then, other voices have stepped in. Cécile Roukoz, who lost her brother Elias, now represents the association publicly. Paul and Tracy Najjar, the parents of three-year-old Alexandra Najjar, and William Noun, whose brother Joe was one of the firefighters killed, have also stayed at the forefront. Together, they continue to speak out, organize, and push for justice.
2. What legal steps have the victims' families actually taken
In Jan. 2025, just days after President Joseph Aoun took office, Judge Tarek Bitar resumed the Beirut port probe. His work had been frozen since early 2023, after political pressure and a decision by former top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat barred the judiciary and security forces from cooperating with him.
But this did not stop the families in their fight for justice.
Here's a quick timeline of the major cases they filed, in Lebanon and internationally:
Nov. 2020
Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) submitted a report to the United Nations on behalf of victims' families. It called for an independent fact-finding mission, citing a lack of judicial independence in Lebanon and patterns of corruption and intimidation.
Mar. 2021
The Beirut Bar Association (BBA), representing nearly 1,400 victims' families, began filing lawsuits in Lebanese courts. Many of them targeted officials accused of obstructing Judge Tarek Bitar's investigation through abusive legal action.
Aug. 2021
The BBA and three families filed a civil suit in the UK against Savaro Ltd., the company believed to have delivered the ammonium nitrate to Beirut. The UK High Court later blocked the firm's attempts to dissolve.
July 2022
Victims filed a $250 million lawsuit in Texas against U.S.–Norwegian geophysical company TGS, believed to be linked to the nitrate shipment. The case is still ongoing and backed by Swiss NGO Accountability Now. It includes nine U.S. plaintiffs, including Sarah Copland, whose son Isaac [a U.S. citizen] was one of the youngest victims.
2022 (Lebanon)
A rare breakthrough: Judge Najah Aitani issued a precautionary seizure order worth L.L.100 billion on the assets of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter. The case was filed by the BBA and marked one of the few legal actions that directly targeted sitting MPs.
In 2022 as well, the BBA accusation office and the victims' families filed three lawsuits before the State Shura Council to appeal the Mikati government's decision to demolish the silos.
Feb. 2023 (UK)
The High Court ruled in favor of the families in the Savaro Ltd. case, ordering the company to pay compensation for its role in the blast.(No one has received any payment so far).
June 2023
Survivors and families sent letters to the U.N. Human Rights Council, asking for support for an international investigation. Over 160 organizations signed on, backing the demand for global accountability.
July 2025
Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the blast, families met with Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh with regard to the preservation of silos, as well as Information Minister Paul Morcos. They also met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Justice Minister Adel Nassar (three times). They renewed their calls for justice, preservation of the grain silos as a memorial, and a unified national media campaign. A press conference and protest march are planned for Aug. 4, 2025.
3- What's new in the major case handled by Bitar?
When the investigation resumed, Bitar filed charges against 12 senior officials from the port, customs, and General Security. He questioned former Prime Minister Hassan Diab and former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk. He also summoned Hezbollah and Amal-affiliated MP Ghazi Zeaiter, who refused to attend two scheduled hearings.
Oueidat, the same prosecutor who blocked the case for more than two years, was also summoned. He did not appear. Twice. Bitar has postponed further action until the indictment is issued.
On July 4, the families held their latest monthly sit-in near the port. And now, they are preparing for a major protest on Aug. 4, five years after the explosion. They announced a public march, starting from the Quarantine fire station. They called on people across the country to wear black and show up. They organized buses to bring people in from different regions. They called on the Lebanese diaspora to mobilize abroad.