Report: Dispute over Head of HJC Post to be Resolved

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.