We demand accountability for the Beirut blast

What the report says

Families of victims of the Beirut port explosion are urging Lebanese authorities to move the stalled case toward trial, saying the domestic investigation has been completed but no indictment has been issued. In an opinion piece published by Al Jazeera on 4 August 2026, the authors describe the blast of 4 August 2020 as a preventable disaster linked to thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at the port with official knowledge.

The article says the explosion killed at least 218 people, injured about 7,000 and left more than 150 physically disabled. It also argues that delays and legal challenges have slowed the inquiry for years, including the removal of one investigating judge and repeated lawsuits against his successor, Judge Tarek Bitar. According to the families, the completed investigative file naming 70 officials and security officers has now been sent to Public Prosecutor Ahmad Rami Al Hajj for review, but there is no deadline for that step.

The writers say they welcome the completion of the investigation but warn that accountability remains unfinished unless the prosecutor returns his opinion and an indictment follows. They frame the process as a test of whether Lebanon’s justice system can overcome delay and immunity claims. The piece also notes related legal actions outside Lebanon, including cases or findings in the UK, the US, Germany, Belgium and Bulgaria, reflecting the broader international dimension of the disaster.