Mirza’s Tenure Ends with No Successor in Sight

General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza’s tenure ended on Monday as the name of the successor remains unclear. Mirza served for 45 years in the judiciary.

Media sources said that Judge Samir Hammoud is expected to become the acting General Prosecutor due to seniority awaiting the cabinet’s decision regarding the issue.

In June, President Michel Suleiman approved a decree referred by Prime Minister Najib Miqati and drafted by Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi to appoint five judges to the Higher Judicial Council for three non-renewable years.

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.

However, sharp differences between Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun have prevented the cabinet from making the appointment of the head of the HJC, which is a Maronite position.