Lebanon issues decrees to begin new judicial appointments

LEGAL LEBANON

BEIRUT: State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud and Higher Judicial Council head Jean Fahed Thursday issued decrees to begin new judicial appointments as they discussed judicial issues with President Michel Aoun. The pairs decrees were regarding new appointments at the Military Court of Cassation and Hammoud appointed Judge Ghassan Khoury as state prosecutor of the court responsible for felonies, and Judge Wael Hasan as state prosecutor of the Military Court of Cassation responsible for misdemeanors, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Fahed, who is the first head of the Court of Cassation, appointed Judge Toni Lattouf to head the Military Court of Cassation looking into felonies, and Judge Saqr Saqr as head of the Military Court of Cassation responsible for misdemeanors.

Aoun signed a decree on Oct. 10, transferring judges to new posts and appointing new ones.

The decree was signed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Justice Minister Salim Jreissati, Defense Minister Yaacoub Sarraf and Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil.

Fahd handed Jreissati the list of judicial appointments on Oct. 4, and the latter proceeded to approve the appointments with no amendments.

Local media reported that the appointments included 431 judges and would fill 90 vacant posts in the judiciary.

These reports stated that top political leaders had intervened to name their own candidates for the key judicial posts.

Separately, Hammoud and Fahed met with Aoun to discuss the start of the judicial year next month. Fahed called on Aoun to open the judicial year on Nov. 27, at the Justice Palace in Beirut.

Thursdays meeting dealt with the situation of the judges, especially with respect to changes in wages and compensations in accordance with the salary hike, as well as the maintenance of the judges mutual fund.

Fahed said that Aoun would pay special attention to the demands of the judiciary.

Fahed also presented the president with the first version of a report prepared by the Supreme Judicial Council on the situation of the judicial courts, and their work during the years 2012-15.