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Tarek Bitar
Lebanese judge (born 1974)

Tarek Bitar is a Lebanese judge and the head of Beirut’s criminal court, who is the second judge to lead the investigation of the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, succeeding Fadi Sawwan who was dismissed by the Lebanese court after charging two former Amal Party ministers over the blast, which was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate negligently stored in the port for over six years. Sawwan's dismissal was objected to by the victims’ families because they feared that it would take the case back to zero. In September 2021, Bitar received a threat by Hezbollah.

Bitar is described as having no bias or affiliations to any political party.

On 14 October 2021, protests were instigated by the Shiite groups of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, rebuffed by the Lebanese Army, outside the Justice Palace in Eastern Beirut, demanding an end to Bitar's judgeship, accusing him of political bias and incompetence. Hezbollah partisans have claimed that Lebanese Forces supporters were present, though this is unconfirmed. Clashes erupted between the militants leaving six protesters and one civilian dead. In December 2022 the investigation was suspended and on January 2023 all suspects were released in an ilegal manner by Ghassan Oueidat Lebanon’s top prosecutor. On May 2025 it was reported that he will issue indictment in the 2020 Beirut port explosion case, on August 4. This will be the fifth anniversary of the disaster.

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Biography

Born in the village of Aydamun in Akkar,21 he is married and the father of two children.22

He earned his law degree from the Lebanese University in 1999,23 and began his career as an attorney until he became the sole criminal judge of North Lebanon until 2010.24

Since 2017 he has been the head of the Criminal Court in Beirut.25

In August 2020, at the time of the explosion, his name was put forward by the minister Marie-Claude Najm to lead the investigation ahead of Fadi Sawwan,26 which he refused due to some unknown reasons, possibly due to political pressure.27

However in February 2021, he was finally appointed as new investigator in the Beirut blast probe,28 after the removal of Sawwan who was dismissed by the Lebanese court when the two ministers he charged with negligence requested that the case be transferred to another judge.2930 The reasons for his acceptance this time remain unclear.31 On January 16, 2025, he announced the resume of the resume of the Beirut Port explosion investigation and on the same day he pressed charges against ten new individuals including security officials from customs, the Lebanese army, and the Lebanese General Security, as well as employees at the Port of Beirut.3233

See also

References

  1. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  2. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  3. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  4. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  5. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  6. "Two ex-ministers snub judge after being charged over Beirut blast". Reuters. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-10-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20210222114405/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-crisis-blast-investigation-idUSKBN28Q1GF ↩

  7. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  8. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  9. "Judge Tarek Bitar appointed as new lead investigator in Beirut blast probe". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221194522/http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2021/Feb-19/517588-families-of-beirut-blast-victims-stage-protest.ashx ↩

  10. Tamara Qiblawi (23 September 2021). "Hezbollah threatened top judge probing Beirut port blast, source says". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-24. https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/23/middleeast/hezbollah-beirut-blast-probe-threat-intl/index.html ↩

  11. "Hezbollah threatens Beirut Port blast investigator - report". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-24. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/hezbollah-threatens-beirut-port-blast-investigator-report-680081 ↩

  12. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  13. "Judge Tarek Bitar appointed as new lead investigator in Beirut blast probe". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221194522/http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2021/Feb-19/517588-families-of-beirut-blast-victims-stage-protest.ashx ↩

  14. "Who is Tarek Bitar? Judge heading probe into deadly Beirut Port blast". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-10-16. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/who-is-tarek-bitar-judge-heading-probe-into-deadly-beirut-port-blast/2393718 ↩

  15. Chehayeb, Kareem. "'Political targeting': Hezbollah chief denounces blast judge". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/11/political-targeting-hezbollah-chief-denounces-blast-judge ↩

  16. Bassam, Laila; Dahan, Maha El (2021-10-12). "Lebanon's Hezbollah chief, Nasrallah, says blast judge biased, should be replaced". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-10-15. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-hezbollah-chief-nasrallah-says-beirut-blast-judge-is-politicised-2021-10-11/ ↩

  17. AFP. "Lebanon court dismisses Hezbollah bid to remove Beirut blast judge". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15. https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanon-court-dismisses-hezbollah-bid-to-remove-beirut-blast-judge/ ↩

  18. "Lebanese Army arrests nine people after Beirut violence | AJ | 14. 10.2021". AJ. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-19. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/14/gunfire-kills-several-people-near-beirut-protest-live-news ↩

  19. DC (ACW), Arab Center Washington (2024-03-01). "The Limits of Justice in Lebanon—and What It Means for the Future of the Country". Arab Center Washington DC. Retrieved 2024-11-18. https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-limits-of-justice-in-lebanon-and-what-it-means-for-the-future-of-the-country/ ↩

  20. "Bitar to reportedly issue indictment in port case on August 4". Naharnet. 2025. https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/312711-bitar-to-reportedly-issue-indictment-in-port-case-on-august-4 ↩

  21. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  22. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  23. "Who is Tarek Bitar? Judge heading probe into deadly Beirut Port blast". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-10-16. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/who-is-tarek-bitar-judge-heading-probe-into-deadly-beirut-port-blast/2393718 ↩

  24. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  25. "من هو القاضي طارق بيطار". موقع محتويات (in Arabic). 2021-07-03. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://mhtwyat.com/من-هو-القاضي-طارق-بيطار/ ↩

  26. "Tarek Bitar à " L'Orient-Le Jour " : Je ne laisserai pas l'enquête dévier". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1252793/tarek-bitar-a-lepreuve-des-lignes-rouges-tracees-par-les-politiques.html ↩

  27. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  28. "Judge Tarek Bitar appointed as new lead investigator in Beirut blast probe". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221194522/http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2021/Feb-19/517588-families-of-beirut-blast-victims-stage-protest.ashx ↩

  29. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  30. "Judge Tarek Bitar appointed as new lead investigator in Beirut blast probe". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221194522/http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2021/Feb-19/517588-families-of-beirut-blast-victims-stage-protest.ashx ↩

  31. "Who is Tarek Bitar, the judge who will take over the Beirut port investigation after Fadi Sawwan's removal?". L'Orient Today. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2021-07-14. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1252702/who-is-tarek-bitar-the-judge-who-will-take-over-the-beirut-port-investigation-after-fadi-sawwans-abrupt-removal.html ↩

  32. "Beirut Port explosion investigation resumes as Judge Bitar prepares to question key individuals". LBCIV7. Retrieved 2025-01-16. https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/831201/beirut-port-explosion-investigation-resumes-as-judge-bitar-prepares-to/en ↩

  33. "Judge Tarek Bitar charges ten new individuals, including security officials and port employees". LBCIV7. Retrieved 2025-01-16. https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/831353/judge-tarek-bitar-charges-ten-new-individuals-including-security-offic/en ↩