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Families demand justice on 6th anniversary of Beirut port blast
A commemoration was held in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on the sixth anniversary of the 2020 port explosion. Information Minister Paul Marcus said the investigation has entered its final stage, noting that the indictment will be prepared within a few months.
A commemoration was held in Lebanon on the sixth anniversary of the massive explosion that occurred at the Beirut Port on August 4, 2020, killing hundreds. Families, ministers, and diplomatic delegations attended the ceremony in front of the monument inscribed with the names of those who lost their lives in the blast.
Justice Minister Adil Nassar, Information Minister Paul Marcus, and Social Affairs Minister Hanine El-Sayyed were present at the commemoration, along with ambassadors from countries that lost citizens in the explosion. Wreaths and flowers were laid at the monument, and a minute of silence was observed.
Families carrying photos of their loved ones once again demanded that the truth be revealed, justice be served, and those responsible be punished.
Indictment to be prepared within a few months
Information Minister Paul Marcus told an AA correspondent that during the Cabinet meeting chaired by President and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on August 3, it was particularly emphasized that the indictment would be prepared within a few months at the latest. "The process has now entered its final stage," Marcus said.
Marcus argued that with the start of the current presidential term and the government taking office, all factors hindering the progress of the judicial investigation have been removed. He stated that they respect the separation between the executive and the judiciary, but that revealing the truth and ensuring justice is imperative.
"We fully respect the separation between the institution we represent as the executive authority and the judicial authority, and the independence of the judiciary. However, revealing the truth and establishing justice is imperative."
Social Affairs Minister: This case concerns all Lebanese
Social Affairs Minister Hanine El-Sayyed said they continue to patiently struggle alongside the families to uncover the truth. El-Sayyed expressed that they want to know how and when the investigation will proceed, and stated that they trust the judicial system and believe this case will be pursued to the end.
"This case concerns all Lebanese. We are waiting and will continue to wait. That is why we will continue to take to the streets; we will continue to tell people, the Lebanese, and the whole world that we want this case resolved," she said.
When asked whether the investigation is nearing its end, El-Sayyed replied, "Yes, we are close. I hope we can say this before the end of the year. While I have no concrete information and without interfering in the work of the judicial bodies, we hope this will happen."
The toll of the explosion and the investigation process
The massive explosion that occurred after a fire broke out in a warehouse at the Beirut Port on August 4, 2020, caused widespread destruction in the city. More than 235 people were killed, around 6,000 were injured, and 300,000 were forced to leave their homes.
Lebanon's then-Court of Cassation Public Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat ordered the "unconditional" release of all previously detained suspects in the explosion case on January 25, 2023. Meanwhile, the UK High Court of Justice on June 13, 2023, found a London-based company guilty in connection with the port explosion and ordered compensation to be paid to some of the relatives of the deceased and the injured.
Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the investigation into the Beirut port explosion, completed the main investigation in March 2026 and sent the file to the Supreme Court Public Prosecutor's Office for the preparation of an opinion on the merits.
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