Arslan Rejects Bitar's Decision to Keep Fayyad Detained
Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan on Thursday criticized Judge Tarek al-Bitar’s decision to keep General Security Major Dawoud Fayyad in detention in the Beirut port blast case.
“Ever since Judge Bitar was appointed as investigative judge into the Beirut port blast case, I committed myself not to talk about the case and the arbitrary detention of officers, to give him a chance to look into the investigations and the file’s details and out of our confidence in his integrity,” Arslan said in a tweet.
“Today he released detained officers (Joseph) al-Naddaf and (Charbel) Fawwaz and others while keeping the officer Dawoud Fayyad in custody under the excuse of waiting to know more details about the jurisdiction of General Security, as we have learned,” Arslan added.
He accordingly emphasized that keeping Fayyad in detention despite his “certain innocence” and “performance of his role to the fullest” is totally rejected.
Earlier in the day, Bitar ordered the release of six detainees – including Naddaf of the State Security department and Fawaz of General Security. The four others are customs and port employees.
The six will be banned from traveling outside Lebanon, according to a judicial official. The official added that 19 people are still being held in the case. Among those who are still held are the head of the customs department and his predecessor as well as the port's director general.
Bitar’s move comes after lawyers for the 25 detainees filed requests for their release.
Source: Naharnet
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