Tarek Bitar

Tarek Bitar (Arabic: طارق بيطار, Akkar, born 1974[1]) is a Lebanese judge and the head of Beirut’s criminal court,[2][1] who is the second judge to lead the investigation of the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, succeeding Fadi Sawwan[2][1] who was dismissed by the Lebanese court after charging two former Amal Party[3] ministers over the blast, which was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate negligently stored in the port for over six years.[2] Sawwan's dismissal was objected to by the victims’ families because they feared that it would take the case back to zero.[2][4] In September 2021, Bitar received a threat by Hezbollah.[5][6]

Bitar is described as having no bias or affiliations to any political party.[2][4]

On 14 October 2021, protests were instigated by the Shiite groups of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement,[7] rebuffed by the Lebanese Army, outside the Justice Palace in Eastern Beirut, demanding an end to Bitar's judgeship, accusing him of political bias and incompetence.[8][9][10] Hezbollah partisans have claimed that Lebanese Forces supporters were present, though this is unconfirmed.[11] Clashes erupted between the militants leaving six protesters and one civilian dead

  1. ^ a b c "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Two ex-ministers snub judge after being charged over Beirut blast". Reuters. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  4. ^ a b "Judge Tarek Bitar appointed as new lead investigator in Beirut blast probe". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  5. ^ Tamara Qiblawi (23 September 2021). "Hezbollah threatened top judge probing Beirut port blast, source says". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  6. ^ "Hezbollah threatens Beirut Port blast investigator - report". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  7. ^ "Who is Tarek Bitar? Judge heading probe into deadly Beirut Port blast". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  8. ^ Chehayeb, Kareem. "'Political targeting': Hezbollah chief denounces blast judge". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  9. ^ Bassam, Laila; Dahan, Maha El (2021-10-12). "Lebanon's Hezbollah chief, Nasrallah, says blast judge biased, should be replaced". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  10. ^ AFP. "Lebanon court dismisses Hezbollah bid to remove Beirut blast judge". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  11. ^ "Lebanese Army arrests nine people after Beirut violence | AJ | 14. 10.2021". AJ. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-19.