Sahili: Release of Collaborators with “Israel” Unprecedented Act by Highest Judiciary Court

http://en.moqawama.org/essaydetails.php?eid=16071&cid=258

Hizbullah Deputy Nawwar Sahili on Tuesday said the release of persons condemned for collaboration with "Israel" was an unprecedented act by the highest judiciary instance. Judge Alice Shabtini, President of the Military Cassation Court, last week ordered to release four members of al-Alam family, in addition to two other Lebanese citizens condemned for collaboration with the "Israeli" enemy, and sentenced to 5 to 15 years imprisonment. "We are not usually entitled to broach judicial dossiers, interfere in an inquiry, or comment any verdict, but what happened a few days ago is a very dangerous first," said the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc member. "We have visited Tuesday Minister of Justice, Shakib Qortbawi, and State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza, who presides over general prosecutions and who, according to the Lebanese law, is on top of the judicial hierarchy. These two officials have couched to newspapers their rebuke over what happened," he added. "From a legal viewpoint, the release of any person before revoking the verdict is normal, and when a court accepts to repeal a criminal or military court's verdict, it can thus order release. But when the affair is that of persons condemned for collaborating with Israel in 2000 (...), we then believe the matter is unusual and unprecedented," he expounded. The MP said the affair was now placed in the hands of Justice Minister and State Prosecutor.