Lebanon’s Investigative Judges’ Panel has upheld a ruling barring the prosecution of Tarek Bitar, the judicial investigator leading the probe into the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, effectively removing a major obstacle that had impeded his work for more than two years, Al-Modon reported.

The decision, issued by a panel chaired by Judge Elias Eid with advisors Rabih Houssami and Pierre Francis, confirms an earlier ruling by Investigative Judge Habib Rizkallah in the so-called “abuse of authority” case filed against Bitar. The panel also rejected an appeal submitted by MP Ali Hassan Khalil, clearing the way for Bitar to proceed with his investigation and prepare the file for submission to the Public Prosecutor for Consultation ahead of potential indictments.

Bitar is expected to complete several remaining procedural steps, including summoning three new individuals for questioning in the coming days, according to Al-Modon. He is also awaiting responses to international subpoenas issued over recent months.

Once these steps are concluded, the case will be formally submitted to the Public Prosecutor for Consultation within a month. Bitar will then meet with the office to determine how to implement legal measures against all individuals previously questioned. These measures may include barring prosecution, issuing arrest warrants in absentia or in person, or leaving individuals free under formal residence pledges. Officials described this phase as the most sensitive stage of the investigation, involving political, security, and judicial figures whose questioning and potential legal accountability could have wide-reaching consequences.

Observers describe the panel’s ruling as part of an unprecedented judicial effort to remove obstacles that had long hindered Bitar’s work. A recent high-level meeting with Prosecutor General for Consultation Jamal Al-Hajjjar and judges Mohammad Saab and Emily Mirna Kallas established a roadmap for the next phase once the file reaches the Public Prosecutor’s Office. While Al-Hajjjar is not expected to complete his review before his scheduled retirement in April, authorities stressed that further delays in issuing indictments are no longer possible.