William Noun, spokesperson for one of the groups representing the relatives of the victims of the explosion at the port of Beirut, was released on Saturday afternoon by State Security, at the request of the Advocate General near the Beirut Court of Appeal Zaher Hamadeh, the National News Agency (ANI, official) reported.He had been detained since Friday as part of an investigation into comments he had made Thursday evening during a a television program Mr. Noun was reportedly released on bail to choose his domicile.
Speaking a little later, from the fire station in Beirut, at the Quarantine, William Noun assured that he will continue to fight “as long as the investigation is the target of obstructions”. He also called on “the judiciary to assume its responsibilities”. Mr. Noun also indicated that he was treated with respect during his arrest, and thanked the people who intervened to facilitate his release, in particular the head of the Maronite Church Bechara Raï.
The release of the detainee before #death _ salad _ and nitrate Hero #William _ Noon #Beirut_port_explosion#4_ Water #My _ country _ did _ this Forgetting us is a crime #death _ power #beirutexplosion #beirutblast #Beirut pic.twitter.com/SBmGCLPbQ7
— Bila Rakaba (@BilaRakaba) January 14, 2023
Shortly after the announcement of Mr. Noun’s release, scuffles broke out in the crowd gathered in Ramlet el-Baïda, between agents of the anti-riot force and those present, in particular the deputy Kataeb Elias Hankache. After this violence, quickly contained, the security forces arrested at least one protester, reports our journalist on the spot.
The detention of the activist, whose brother Joe Noun had been killed in the explosion of August 4, had already provoked anger and mobilization of the street on Friday night and until Saturday afternoon. As soon as he was released, Mr. Noun left the Ramlet el-Baïda barracks by car, without speaking to the press, a law enforcement agent confirmed to our journalist on the spot Lyana Alameddine.
In the morning, the General Directorate of State Security announced that it had “arrested the activist William Noun, at the request of the Advocate General at the Beirut Court of Appeal Zaher Hamadé, following an expression used during of the program “Sar el-waet” (It’s time) by journalist Marcel Ghanem”, announced the National News Agency (Ani, official), Saturday morning. According to the MTV channel, on which the program is broadcast, Mr. Noun threatened Thursday evening to “blow up the Palace of Justice” if justice is not done in the case of the double explosion of August 4, in which he lost his brother, Joe Noun, one of the firefighters who had been deployed to the port just before the explosion.
Tony Saliba, the Director General of State Security, a close friend of Michel Aoun, is suspected of breaches of the duties of his office, and prosecuted as part of the investigation into August 4, 2020. He was reappointed in March.
Communiqué of the CSM
Reacting to the leak of a statement attributed to the body he leads, the president of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) Souheil Abboud affirmed at the end of the afternoon that it was “a text which was still under discussion”. “What leaked to the press was a draft statement that did not get the required approval for publication,” he said.
The document shared by the media implied an implicit defense of Judge Zaher Hamadé by the CSM, and “condemned the interference and attacks on the work of judges (…)”. He also pointed to the attitude of William Noun, believing that “the end to which a citizen aspires, although it is noble, does not justify the illegal means sanctioned by law” to which he resorts.
Saturday morning, a few dozen people had gathered at 10 a.m., according to our journalist on the spot Lyana Alameddine, in front of the barracks of Ramlet el-Baïda where William Noun was detained. When questioned, William Noun and Peter Bou Saab’s lawyer, Ralph Tannous, said that the security forces searched Mr. Noun’s apartment, without finding what they were looking for. Namely, according to him, dynamite. “We gave them William’s phone but they didn’t find anything compromising there either,” he added. Me Tannous again called for the statements of MM. Noun and Bou Saab are completely separate and unrelated, while according to the deputy and former president of Beirut Melhem Khalaf, judge Zaher Hamadé wanted to link the investigations into the two men.
In what appears to be a separate case, William Noun and other relatives of victims had been summoned by the judicial police earlier in the week to answer for rioting, vandalism and damage to offices following a demonstration, organized on Tuesday, which had degenerated into scuffles with the security forces. Demonstrators had thrown stones and other objects at the Beirut Courthouse and some windows had been smashed. Relatives of victims were demonstrating against the long suspension of the investigation into the August 4, 2020 explosion led by Judge Tarek Bitar. The judge’s work has been hampered by political maneuvering for months.
“Arbitrary arrests”
Friday evening, the anger had already rumbled following the announcement of the detention of Mr. Noun.
In Jbeil, where he is from, a violent altercation took place during the night between protesters and the army. A protester was injured in the eye according to the National News Agency. Altercations also took place outside the State Security headquarters in Ramlet el-Baïda, where a rally in support of Mr. Noun took place. A rally attended by MP Paula Yacoubian and Paul Naggear, father of little Alexandra, also killed in the August 4 explosion. A little later, they were joined by other deputies from the opposition and the protest, in particular Melhem Khalaf, Marc Daou, and again Salim Sayegh.
Protest outside Lebanon’s State Security HQ in Ramlet Bayda (Beirut) demanding release of William Noun, brother of firefighter Joe Noun who was killed in the Aug. 4 Beirut Blast. ? by Cherine Zantout pic.twitter.com/5GGfGn0Y0n
– Mohamad El Chamaa (@MohamdEch) January 14, 2023
“We do not accept that there are arbitrary arrests”, had launched Mr. Khalaf from Ramlet el-Baida. “Maliciousness is not worthy of justice, neither of the State nor of the security apparatuses”, for her part denounced Ms. Yaacoubian, calling on “citizens to take to the streets”. From Jbeil, MP Ziad Hawat who had called for “the closing of all roads”. He also claimed that “justice is broken down and politicized”.
On Twitter, many people called for the release of William Noun. “When the roles are reversed, they try to turn the families of the victims into criminals, wrote Samy Gemayel warning against “the law of the jungle”. “William Noun is detained by force to silence free voices and prevent them to tell the truth, he added. The port case will not end until (the truth) comes out.” “The arrest of William Noun will not save you criminals, no matter how much repression you commit. We will keep the pressure on you until the truth comes out,” tweeted MP Fady Karam (FL). For his part, MP Simon Abi Ramia (CPL) said he “contacted the security and judicial authorities, as soon as William Noun arrived for investigation, to make wise and responsible suggestions in order to avoid negative developments”. “The families of the victims and martyrs of the port explosion, and all Lebanese, have the right to know the whole truth,” he added.Michel Helou, secretary general of the National Bloc, for his part , asserted that the arrest of William Noun “is not only against the law, but also against all human and moral standards”.
On MTV, deputy Marwan Hamadé said that the “way of behaving with William Noun is a new assassination against all Lebanese”. “We are on the verge of a much bigger revolution than that of 2019,” he added.
Earlier on Friday, a relative of William Noun told L’Orient Today on condition of anonymity that Mr. Noun had been summoned for questioning and that he had gone to the offices of his own free will. of State Security in Dékouané, in the northern suburbs of Beirut. He also said that William Noun’s house was searched for the purposes of the investigation.
Hoteit condemns
On Friday, another rival rally of relatives of victims led by Ibrahim Hoteit condemned the summons by the judicial police of members of the other group after Tuesday’s sit-in. In its statement, the rally condemned these summonses, calling them “effrontery” on the part of the judiciary. “We condemn this arbitrary measure and warn against any arrests or else we will act as one body despite our disagreements over the judge [Bitar]”, underlines the group of Ibrahim Hoteit. Contacted by L’Orient Today, he explained that, although he is opposed to any confrontation with the security forces, “it is understandable that the families reacted in this way, after several years have passed without justice being served”.
The Superior Council of the Judiciary was due to meet on Thursday to appoint a substitute judge to Tarek Bitar who could decide on requests for the release of suspects still in detention, but the quorum was not reached.
Ibrahim Hoteit said his group is against the appointment of an alternate judge because the rival group “could then file a petition against [le nouveau juge] and the investigation would be suspended again.” “The solution is to appoint another judge who would summon each suspect or have the current judge start doing so,” he added.
Mr. Hoteit and other relatives of victims accuse Judge Bitar of being biased in his summonses and his arrests and criticize in particular the fact that the former commander-in-chief of the army Jean Kahwaji, who was summoned for investigation, was not arrested.
The investigation into the port is currently suspended, due to numerous invalidation appeals filed against Judge Bitar by politicians summoned as part of the investigation.
William Noun, spokesperson for one of the groups representing the relatives of the victims of the explosion at the port of Beirut, was released on Saturday afternoon by State Security, at the request of the Advocate General near the Beirut Court of Appeal Zaher Hamadé, indicated the national news agency (ANI, official). He had been detained since Friday as part of an investigation…