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Families of Lebanese arrested for Beirut blast demand their release

Several customs and port officials have been arrested and held in prison in relation to the deadly explosion, but nobody has been convicted.

Lebanon protest
A Lebanese protester seeks justice for the port explosion victims and detained activists on Feb. 4, 2021, in Beirut, Lebanon. — Diego Ibarra Sanchez/Getty Images

Families of those arrested in relation to the Beirut port explosion held a protest in Lebanon today. 

The families demonstrated in front of Lebanon’s Palace of Justice, and demanded the release of their loved ones who are imprisoned. They also alleged that the prisoners’ health is deteriorating, the official National News Agency reported. 

A massive explosion occurred in Beirut’s port in August 2020, leaving more than 200 dead, thousands displaced, and extensive damage throughout the city. The blast was the result of 1,750 tons of the flammable fertilizer ammonium nitrate catching fire in a warehouse. 

Lebanese authorities arrested the port manager following the explosion, along with several others. More than 20 port and customs officials have been arrested to date. 

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