Sit-in staged outside Ministry of Justice in solidarity with Judge Bitar

MP Adib Abdel-Masih said that they were attacked by the minister of justice's security personnel as a result of their request that the minister of justice makes an administrative decision regarding the division in the judiciary.

 

He emphasized that the deputies would take a unified stance and requested the immediate arrest of all of the minister's security personnel. He also called on the minister to step down.

 

Army reinforcements were dispatched to the area around the Ministry of Justice after demonstrators successfully broke down the iron gate and entered the building.

 

Later in the day, Caretaker Minister of Justice Henry Khoury issued a statement in which he regretted "the bad and unfortunate scene that took place while he was receiving a group of deputies inside the Palace of Justice."

 

The minister said that the clash, "which was caused first by the tensed judicial atmosphere, and secondly by the intentions of some deputies who did not abide by the principles of communication with the minister."