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Australia has used an international human rights forum in Geneva to call for a swift, independent, and impartial investigation into the devastating 2020 Beirut port blast that killed more than 200 people, including one Australian.
Key points:
- The blast happened nearly three years ago and injured and displaced thousands
- Victims' families have accused Lebanese authorities of obstructing the investigation
- Advocates say the investigation needs to happen without 'political meddling'
In an address to the United Nation's Human Rights Council, Australia's Ambassador to Geneva, Amanda Gorely, delivered a statement on behalf of 38 countries concerned about the stalled probe.
It has been almost three years since 2,750 tonnes of stored ammonium nitrate detonated in Lebanon's capital — causing one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.
"We are concerned Lebanon's investigation into the cause of the explosion has not yet concluded, hampered by systemic obstruction, interference, intimidation, and a political impasse, and in the context of severe financial and economic crises," she said.
"We express our solidarity with all the victims and their families, who, nearly three years later, continue to wait for truth and justice."
No-one has been held accountable for the explosion that injured and displaced thousands while human rights groups and victims' families have accused Lebanese authorities of obstructing and subverting the domestic investigation.
In January, Lebanon's top prosecutor laid charges against the judge leading the inquiry into the explosion and ordered the release of detained suspects, after the judge charged multiple high-ranking politicians and security officials.
Ambassador Gorely said a "swift, independent, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation" into the catastrophe must be carried out while insisting the "root causes" of the disaster needed to be addressed to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
"We urge Lebanon to abide by its international human rights obligations to take all necessary measures to safeguard, in law and in practice, the full independence and impartiality of the Lebanese judiciary," she said.
"We call on the Lebanese authorities to uphold the right of the victims to effective remedy and to adequate, effective, and prompt reparation for harm suffered.
"These steps are vital for accountability and access to justice for the victims of the explosion and their families, and fulfilment of the rights of the Lebanese people."
Push for 'serious' investigation
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would "keep pushing internationally for those responsible to be held to account" and called on Lebanese authorities to "remove all obstacles" to the probe.
Ms Gorely's statement followed a speech by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, who said a "serious investigation" into the blast was urgently needed "without political interference or further delay".
Mr Turk described Lebanon as being in the "throes of one of the worst economic crises in modern history".
"I urge stronger efforts to fight corruption, anchor economic and financial regulation in the rule of law, and firmly embed accountability and transparency into all economic measures," he said.
Mr Turk said more than half of the country's population was living below the poverty line while two million people face food insecurity.
"Many public sector services have been halted, access to education and healthcare are becoming luxuries and electricity is scarce," he said.
Amnesty International's deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Aya Majzoub, welcomed the group statement and said it sends a clear message that "shameful efforts to impede and subvert" the investigation have not gone unnoticed by the international community.
"The Lebanese authorities must urgently allow the domestic inquiry to proceed without any political meddling, and ensure the investigation remains impartial at all times," she said.
"Absent meaningful changes soon, we urge the international community to swiftly escalate their response by establishing an international fact-finding mission into the explosion."