Beirut Port explosion victims’ families protest at Customs building: Gracia Azzi appointment a blatant insult to victims’ blood

Families of the victims of the Beirut Port explosion staged a protest outside the Customs building at the Port of Beirut, expressing anger after more than five years of delays in the investigation. 

The protest followed the Cabinet’s decision to appoint Gracia Azzi, a defendant in the port blast case, as director general of Customs, a move the families described as a “direct stab” to their pursuit of justice.

The families condemned the appointment, saying it undermines the investigation led by Judge Tarek Bitar, who questioned Azzi in February 2025 and left her under investigation pending an indictment. 

They stressed that appointing an individual facing judicial scrutiny to a senior public post insults the memory of the victims, violates principles of accountability and separation of powers, and further erodes trust in the state and judiciary.

Protesters demanded the immediate reversal of the appointment, respect for judicial independence, and the appointment of no suspect to public office before the issuance of an indictment, insisting that justice for the victims of the Beirut port explosion is a non-negotiable right.