Amid continued official disregard for their case, the families of the victims of the “Death Boat” that sank on 23 April 2022, held a meeting in Bab al-Tabbaneh – Tripoli, attended by lawyer Mohammad Sablouh, the head of legal program at Cedar Centre. They renewed their demand for justice in their humanitarian case and warned of resorting to street protests if procrastination persists.

Walid Al-Qaddour affirmed that their message is directed to the state, demanding justice similar to that granted to the victims of the Tleil explosion and the Beirut Port blast. He questioned the reason behind the ongoing neglect of their suffering since the incident and called for a vote on the case and fair treatment. Bilal Al-Dandashi emphasized that the magnitude of their loss cannot be measured by any form of aid, urging authorities to approach the case with compassion and fairness, given the ongoing humanitarian tragedy the families are enduring.

During a solidarity sit-in held in Tripoli, the families expressed their unwavering demand for full justice for their children, asserting their commitment to pursue the case through all available means “until the last breath.” The sit-in was attended by Mr. Mohammad Sablouh, Director of the Legal Department at the Cedar Center for Legal Studies, who expressed solidarity with the families and stressed the importance of pursuing the case legally and ensuring justice for the victims and their families.

Sablouh explained that justice remains absent and that the complaint filed by the families was shelved amid attempts to obscure the truth. He noted that they had met with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice and filed a complaint with the Judicial Inspection Authority, but no concrete action was taken. He also pointed out that some families were forced to sell their properties to cover medical expenses resulting from the tragedy.

The families called for the adoption of a draft law recognizing the victims as martyrs of the Lebanese Army, similar to the victims of the Beirut Port blast and the Tleil explosion, so their families can receive the rightful compensations, including healthcare coverage and financial and moral support. They also expressed their desire to know the details of the judicial process, especially after the case was referred to the military court and investigations began long after the incident occurred.

At the end of the gathering, Sablouh and the victims’ families reaffirmed their determination to continue pursuing justice, whether in Lebanon or abroad. They emphasized that their primary demand is to honor the victims and ensure they are treated with the dignity their sacrifices deserve, expressing hope that the judicial case will be reconsidered and given the attention it merits, just as other widely followed cases have been.