The controversial
appointment of head of the Higher Judicial Council is expected to witness a
breakthrough as Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun agreed to
withdraw his candidate running for the post, Judge Tannous Mishleb.
Sources close to the FPM
told al-Liwaa newspaper published on Monday that Aoun backed down on his
candidate in return for having the Maronite seat in the oil authority, which is
tasked with administrating the oil sector, that President Michel Suleiman was
keen not to suggest any candidate of his own for the post.
Suleiman is supporting
Judge Alice Shabtini, who now heads the Military Appeals Court, to the post of
head of the HJC for her seniority and for “having a clean file.”
The position of the head
of the HJC remains vacant over a lingering dispute between Suleiman and Aoun.
The HJC is formed of 10
members in which the head of the council, the General Prosecutor and the head
of the Judicial Inspection Board are appointed by a decree issued by the
cabinet.
Two of the remaining
seven are chosen by the members of the Court of Cassation, and the remaining
five are appointed by the justice minister and approved by the president
without necessarily consulting the government.
In June, Suleiman
approved a decree referred by Prime Minister Najib Miqati and drafted by
Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi to appoint five judges to the HJC as the
tenure of the current members ended.
The appointed judges are
Jospeh Samaha, Marie Denise al-Meouchi, Rida Raad, Oussama al-Lahham, and Mirna
Bayda for three non-renewable years.http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/55380
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