Hezbollah Lawyers’ Assembly issued a statement to respond to the arrest and trial of several heroes of the resistance before the Military Court, which issued fines for possessing unlicensed weapons, affirming the following:
The act of resisting external aggression, occupying forces, and possessing arms resulting from it for the purpose of defending the country, people, and land is an act guaranteed by the Lebanese Constitution’s preamble, in conjunction with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, as well as the Taif Agreement, Section III. It is also guaranteed by all international laws and constitutions, and is a fundamental natural right that cannot be taken away or prosecuted.
The act of resistance and possession of arms resulting from it is an act of legitimate defense of the nation, which surpasses in importance the act of self-defense and defense of property as stated in Article 184 of the Penal Code.
In fact, the act of resistance and carrying arms during aggression, with the aim of countering it, as is currently happening, makes the act of resistance a duty combined with the right to legitimate defense mentioned above. The act of resistance becomes even more legitimate after the government’s decision to withdraw the Lebanese army from the south, as the people cannot be left to bear the responsibility of resisting aggression when state institutions have abandoned them.
In light of this, the arrest and referral of resistance fighters to the Military Court, which is contrary to all the aforementioned legal rules, may constitute a crime of unlawful detention without legal justification, and may rise to the level of high treason, given the decision to withdraw the army from the south.
The Military Court’s decision today is contrary to the Lebanese Constitution and the right to legitimate defense, which supersedes all applicable laws, even if it is under pressure from two or three ministers of the political authority. It is known that executive and administrative decisions of the authority cannot, under any circumstances, override the laws and legal rules in force.
Therefore, the Assembly calls on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Appeal Prosecutor’s Office, and the Military Prosecutor’s Office to apply the law and not prosecute or arrest resistance fighters. It also calls on the Military Court to issue a decision to release the detained resistance fighters immediately and to rule that their actions are not a crime, but rather a legitimate act guaranteed by the Constitution and a heroic act in defense of Lebanon and its people, deserving of praise and honor from all honorable citizens.
The Assembly calls on the relevant ministers to refrain from interfering in the work of the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary.
In conclusion, Hezbollah Lawyers’ Assembly will spare no effort in following up on the cases of the heroic resistance fighters until justice is achieved, as affirmed by the preamble to the Lebanese Constitution and all international conventions.
Source: Al-Manar English Website