Aoun Says 'State Must Preserve Justice for All' after Judicial Storm

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday commented in a brief manner on the latest judicial developments in the country and the protests that accompanied them.

Emphasizing on demonstrators’ “right to peaceful assembly as a free expression,” the president called on them to shun “the sectarian and confessional approach.”

He also underlined that “the state must preserve justice for everyone.”

State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat had recently removed Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun from an investigation into possible currency export violations. But the judge, who is believed to be close to the president, defied Oueidat’s decision and carried out two raids on the Mecattaf money exchange houses in Awkar over the weekend, accompanied by security forces.

The judge was also accompanied by supporters and activists of the Free Patriotic Movement and others from the October 17 uprising.

According to the company, they tried to enter the offices by force.

In response, caretaker Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm held an emergency meeting on Saturday in the presence of Oueidat, head of the High Judicial Council Judge Suhail Abboud and Judicial Inspection Authority head Judge Borkan Saad.

Najem voiced anger at the incident, saying what happened indicates the “failure of the state’s institutions.”

Judge Aoun had been previously accused of overstepping her position’s limits. There are several complaints against her before the Judicial Inspection Authority.