During a speech at the Free Patriotic Movement Lawyers Association dinner, MP Gebran Bassil, president of the Free Patriotic Movement, declared:
“We are proud to have presented models of lawyers who embody the true image of justice and serve as a voice that rises against the deadly silence that prevails when justice is compromised.”
He added:
“There are countless times when justice has been undermined. That is why we call on the lawyers of the Free Patriotic Movement not to close their eyes, but to raise their voices and refuse silence in the face of injustice. For when even a single lawyer stands up for justice, they can make a difference.”
Bassil continued:
“As a Free Patriotic Movement, we may be out of power, but we are not out of our national responsibilities. This year, we face an important union entitlement, yet there is an even greater national one — restoring the prestige and independence of the judiciary, and rebuilding citizens’ trust in justice. This is the great challenge.”
He stressed that the judiciary is the cornerstone of state-building, saying:
“There can be no reform, no state, and no survival without an independent and courageous judiciary that applies the law. Our priority must be to break the cycle of dependency and interference, for it destroys the very spirit of justice and lawyers are the guardians of that justice.”
Bassil urged lawyers:
“Do not allow justice to be held captive by corruption, fear, or dependency. The Bar Association is the conscience of justice not a political entity. We want it to remain strong, free, and independent, for there is no justice without freedom and no freedom without responsibility. If there is any true resistance we must lead, it is to build a state founded on justice.”
Impunity and the Crisis of Accountability
Bassil warned that impunity prevails in Lebanon and that this reality places a heavy responsibility on lawyers.
“The Lebanese people are oppressed, how could they not be when major national cases remain unresolved?”
He cited three key examples:
1. The Beirut Port Explosion – “How can it be that after five years, no indictment has been issued and no charges filed? Was the explosion an act of sabotage, or the result of negligence and mismanagement? Whether intentional or not, the state and its institutions bear responsibility.”
2. The Forensic Audit – “President Michel Aoun had called for the audit since 2005 but only succeeded in implementing it in 2020. Five years later, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank still refuse to hand over documents to the auditing company, which already confirmed a $72 billion deficit at the Central Bank. They are obstructing justice to conceal those responsible and escape accountability.”
3. Depositors’ Funds – “The FPM introduced a bill demanding the recovery of funds arbitrarily transferred abroad, yet the state refuses to pass the Capital Control Law, enabling continued smuggling of money overseas. Is it just for one person to transfer $600 million while another cannot transfer $6,000 for tuition? Around $40 billion, nearly half the financial gap remains unaccounted for.”
The Paralysis of Justice and Overcrowded Prisons
Bassil criticized the dysfunction in Lebanon’s judicial system:
“There is partial justice that acquits without naming the guilty, and delayed justice that withholds verdicts to postpone truth. The State Shura Council is not bound by time limits, and the Constitutional Council often avoids quorum — as seen with the expatriate voting law. Meanwhile, prison overcrowding has reached 340%, fueling unrest.”
He called for resolving the Islamist detainees’ issue, distinguishing between those awaiting trial far beyond their expected sentences and those convicted for political reasons:
“If flexibility is shown, a special pardon could be issued — but those who attacked the army must face firm justice, out of respect for the martyrs. Justice must serve both fairness and national unity.”
Defamation, False News, and the Assault on Reputation
Bassil also condemned the spread of false information that damages people’s reputations, citing the Tannourine Water case:
“If someone deliberately defames a company or an individual, who compensates for the harm done? The Publications Court? The same applies to defamation on social media. That is why the FPM is drafting a bill to tighten penalties for anyone using online platforms to attack another’s dignity or interests.”
He described these attacks as a form of “political assassination”:
“The Free Patriotic Movement has been targeted not as individuals but as a party and an idea. Those who inflict moral and material harm must be held accountable, dignity cannot remain unprotected.”
Judicial Independence and Political Guardianship
Bassil reiterated the need to free the judiciary from both internal and external subordination, noting:
“It is time to pass a genuine law on judicial independence — not the theatrical version Parliament attempted. The President was right to return it, as it was filled with loopholes. Judges should not be blackmailed through appointments or punished for their political thinking.”
He also warned of a new form of foreign guardianship:
“Today, even Parliament bows to foreign influence. They reject laws until the IMF or foreign powers demand them, as with the banking secrecy law, which was revived four times. The latest humiliation is the Justice Minister’s circular to notaries, issued outside his jurisdiction, all because of external pressure.”
“Do sanctions replace the law? Are we proud to admit that we obey foreign dictates because ‘the Americans asked us to’? It is our collective duty and that of the legal union to restore full judicial sovereignty.”
Union Elections and FPM Participation
Concluding his remarks, Bassil said:
“The union must belong to all not be monopolized by anyone. Elections should enhance its mission and foster participation. Our previous absence was not helpful; now we return through lawyer Wassim Bou Taie, with the hope that our participation will be active, positive, and independent. Let us work together to ensure his success, keeping the union above politics and faithful to justice.”