Lebanon’s Higher Judicial Council convened this week with its newly reconstituted lineup, vowing to uphold judicial integrity, restore public confidence, and safeguard the independence of the judiciary after years of institutional paralysis.

The meeting was chaired by Council President Judge Suhail Abboud, with the participation of Vice President and Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, Judicial Inspection Authority President Judge Ayman Oueidat, and judges Souheir Al-Harake, Nassib Eliya, Mona Saleh, and Nawal Saliba.

At the start of the session, Abboud congratulated the newly appointed members and expressed hope for their success in the judicial responsibilities entrusted to them. He also extended his gratitude to President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Justice Minister Adel Nassar for their “valuable contribution” to reinforcing judicial independence through the “standards and choices” adopted in the latest round of judicial appointments.

Abboud described the appointments as a significant step toward resuming the regular functioning of the judiciary, which has been stalled for years due to political deadlock and internal challenges.

As it begins its new mandate, the Council issued a call to judges nationwide, urging them to rise to the occasion by adhering to the highest standards of ethics and judicial conduct. It explicitly warned against seeking backing from any external authority, “regardless of its nature or form,” and encouraged judges to continue their work despite Lebanon’s deepening political and economic crises.

The Council stressed that restoring judicial performance under such conditions is essential to rebuilding full public trust in the judiciary.

The session, which opened Monday and continued into Tuesday, concluded with the adoption of several key measures:

• Approval of objective criteria for judicial appointments and transfers, including integrity, competence, and seniority;

• Adoption of a partial appointments and transfers plan, affecting the presidents of chambers at the Court of Cassation and presidents of Courts of Appeal in the governorates. The measure aims to complete the formation of both the Higher Judicial Council and the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation;

• Appointment of indictment chambers to handle criminal complaints filed against certain judges;

• Review of special pardon requests related to death penalty cases;

• Examination of draft laws related to the judicial system;

• Approval of a report on applications for court-accredited sworn experts across various judicial fields;

• Referral of judicial investigator nominations in specific cases to the Minister of Justice for further consultation.