Associations, individuals committed to rule of law denounce Beirut Bar Association’s recent actions

Bar associations, lawyers, judges, and civil society organizations committed to the rule of law stood in solidarity with Lebanese lawyer and Legal Agenda executive director Nizar Saghieh, who was summoned to a disciplinary hearing for opposing the Beirut Bar Association’s recent decision as this targets “his exercise of free expression and for his legal defense work.”  

In a statement issued, the Legal Agenda said that on March 3, 2023, the Council of the Beirut Bar Association issued a decision amending the code of ethics and regulating the work of lawyers without prior debate.   

The amendment, which according to the statement, “constitutes a severe violation of the right to freedom of expression,” stipulates that lawyers are only allowed to participate in conferences, legal seminars, or provide interviews or information to a media outlet, including social media outlets, websites, or groups after receiving permission of the Bar Association President.   

“The amendment, which has since been released in an updated code of ethics booklet, is an alarming overreach in violation of Lebanese domestic and international legal obligations that gives disproportionate oversight to the Bar Association President […] and threatens to have reverberating impacts on citizen’s access to justice,” said the statement.  

Additionally, based on the Legal Agenda, thirteen Lebanese lawyers, including lawyer Nizar Saghieh, submitted appeals to challenge the decision, and the Beirut Court of Appeals will issue a determination in the case on May 4th.  

Further, Saghieh, who has a history of defending individual rights, providing legal defenses for activists, and providing critical support for the family members and victims of the Beirut Port Explosion, was the target of harassment campaigns on social media since the summons.   

“Summoning Saghieh is intended to silence him and has the potential to chill legal defense work at large and eat away at access to justice for Lebanese citizens and residents more generally,” said the statement.  

The bar associations, individuals, and civil society organizations also urged the Beirut Bar Association to withdraw the amendments to the code of ethics and “stand on the side of independent legal defense work in the country.”  

They also called the Beirut Bar Association to withdraw its summons, “halt all arbitrary disciplinary proceedings against Saghieh, and bring to an end this targeting.”