Five new Supreme Judicial Council members took their oath before President General Michel Aoun, on Thursday at Baabda Palace.

Justice Minister Judge Henry Khoury, Presidency Director General Dr. Antoine Choucair, and President of the Supreme Judicial Council Judge Suhail Abboud, also attended.

Judges,Afif Hakim, Habib Mezher, Dany Chebly, Mireille Haddad, and Elias Richa successively took the following oath:

“I swear by God that I will carry out my duties in the Supreme Judicial Council with honesty and sincerity, and that I will keep the secret of deliberations, and that in all my works I strive for the good conduct of the judiciary, its dignity and its independence”.

After the oath, the President met the new members of the Council, in the presence of Minister Khoury and Judge Abboud, and wished them success in their new responsibilities. President Aoun stressed the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in the work of the independent judiciary, and the need not to respond to any pressure which they are subject to. President Aoun also emphasized the necessity that Council members be a unified and solidarity working group.

For his part, the Justice Minister addressed the importance of regular work in the Supreme Judicial Council and the principle of separation of authorities. On the other hand, Judge Abboud thanke d the President for the attention he attaches to the judicial body, praising the competence and experience of the new members. Judge Abboud also stressed the importance of independence of the judiciary, “Which is able to address any defect”.