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Nearly 120 magistrates had announced a strike set to begin on September 18. Efforts are being made to address their grievances.
Efforts are underway to address the grievances of magistrates, 120 of whom had announced at the beginning of the month a strike supposed to take effect today, Monday, September 18, coinciding with the start of the new judicial year.
According to a high-ranking source, the magistrates may “reconsider their decision in the coming days,” a claim denied by those close to the striking judges.
It appears that alternative solutions, such as “a one-time payment made on their behalf,” “would be greatly appreciated by these judges,” who are demanding the right to a decent life and favorable working conditions, according to the source interviewed by This is Beirut. However, this assertion is contradicted by a magistrate involved in the matter.
“What value would these substitutes have when we know that the mutual fund no longer covers hospitalization costs, and we find ourselves rejected by hospitals because we are not covered? We have to beg for discounts to educate our children, at a time when our monthly earnings range from $300 to $1,500 (depending on the beneficiary’s rank),” he said.
In reality, many judges have been forced to postpone surgeries or treatments due to a lack of means, endangering their health or that of their families. Others have had to pay exorbitant sums to avoid death. The same goes for those with children to support. Some are now turning to public schools, while others have chosen to leave the country to secure a better future for their offspring.
When interviewed by This is Beirut, the aforementioned magistrate noted that judges “have still not received the salary supplements that were promised to them.” The source emphasized that “there has been no official decision to go on strike.” He pointed out that it “is imposed on us in most cases because working conditions are not guaranteed.”
On the first day of the strike announced in early September, compliance varied.
Plunged into darkness most of the time due to power cuts, the Palace of Justice is no longer a palace. Water shortages, a lack of supplies, the absence of clerks, accumulated cases, and, above all, internal conflicts fueled by political interference, are factors that hinder the work of magistrates and were discussed during the meeting of the Higher Judicial Council (HJC) on Monday.
The HJC, which announced the start of the judicial year in the morning, addressed the difficulties faced by the approximately 600 judges, as well as their demands and concerns, at a time when the judicial power is shaken, both by the financial crisis that has hit the country hard since 2019 and by the multiple political interferences eroding what should be the backbone of any rule-of-law state.
According to a source, the HJC assured that “consultations are ongoing with caretaker Minister of Justice Henri Khoury to find solutions to the problems” at hand. “How can our demands be heard in the absence of a government? Whom do we address when the threat of a power vacuum looms over the entire Republic, and the state is bankrupt?” lamented those in the same circles.
In the statement issued at the end of its meeting, the HJC declared itself in an open session to monitor the progress of all the cases under consideration.
Differing views
Within the judicial circles, the strike is not unanimously supported. “In principle, this is a violation of the law, a denial of justice, which goes against the laws governing the judiciary. On this issue, there can be no differing opinions,” said a judicial source.
“Magistrates must adhere to the general principle advocating the continuity of public services, which, consequently, indirectly prohibits judges from ceasing their work,” insisted a lawyer, speaking anonymously. Considering that “the effects of the strike are more harmful than its causes,” he explained that “since no one can dispense justice to themselves, individuals must be able to resort to the judiciary to settle their disputes.” This is “not to mention that many judges have made a fortune in bribes in previous years and have long rested on their laurels,” he added. “Our work as lawyers is also affected, as some trials are suspended due to the absence of certain magistrates.”
It remains to be seen in which way the balance will tip: ensuring the integrity and independence of judges by reevaluating their working and living conditions (but how can this be achieved in the absence of a president, a government with full powers, and functioning state institutions) or keeping them, like many Lebanese citizens, in a precarious situation while waiting for a hypothetical recovery?
