Presidency: Aoun Didn't Refuse to Sign Badri Daher's Exemption Decree

Press office of the Presidency issued a statement on Saturday stating that President Michel Aoun did not reject signing a decree exempting customs chief Badri Daher of his duties.

The Presidency said that Aoun called for a “principle of equality” in treating all detainees of first grade employees over links to the Beirut port blast.

The President did not reject signing a decree exempting Daher of his duties, but has requested, pursuant to the principle of equality, the issuance of decrees that all first grade employees subject for detention to be placed at the disposal of the PM, while exempting them from their duties, said the statement.

The employees in detention are legally isolated from carrying out their duties according to laws and regulations in force, and they cannot, therefore, be assigned to new tasks, it added.

There were no administrative measures taken against some first and second grade employees under judicial arrest, other than Daher. This dictates that the procedure to be applied to Daher applies to everyone without exception, in accordance with the principle of equality, concluded the statement.

Head of Customs Badri Daher was arrested in August for his role in the deadly mega August 4 explosion at Beirut Port that killed more than 190 people.

25 suspects have been detained so far in relation to the blast.

On Saturday, Daher was said to have been taken Friday midnight to hospital for “health conditions.”