The Jbeil Judicial Authority of the Free Patriotic Movement expressed its regret over an incident it described as “painful” in the town of Qurtaba, considering it to constitute a new link in a series of incidents linked to what it described as “rogue weapons,” for which innocent people and Lebanese families are paying the price.
The authority said in a statement: “A new painful incident caused by loose weapons is being awakened by the people of the town of Qurtaba, adding to a series of tragedies for which innocent people are paying the price.”
She stressed that “the victims of loose weapons are not numbers, but rather tragic lives, dreams, and families who pay the price of disregard for people’s lives,” warning of the humanitarian and social repercussions that such incidents have on families and local communities.
The Commission considered that the repetition of these incidents confirms the necessity of confining weapons within the framework of the state and the law, stressing that “there is no place for weapons outside the framework of the state and the law, and that anyone who uses weapons in a way that threatens the lives of citizens must be held accountable before the judiciary, far from any cover, protection, or exception.”
She added: “We want a state that protects its people, a law that applies to everyone, and a judiciary that holds accountable everyone who puts people’s lives in danger.”
From Qurtaba, the Commission sent a message to the Lebanese families who lost members as a result of shooting incidents and uncontrolled weapons use, stressing the need to put an end to this phenomenon.
She concluded by saying: “From Qurtaba, and from every Lebanese home that has felt the pain of losing a loved one due to loose weapons, we renew our call to put an end to these tragedies, because human life is not cheap, and the blood of the victims is not a point of view.”
The incident reopens the file of the uncontrolled spread of weapons in Lebanon and the risks associated with their use outside legal frameworks, especially in individual disputes, occasions, and random shooting, which are practices that can turn, within moments, into fatal incidents and cause victims who have nothing to do with the causes of the dispute or shooting.
The security services repeatedly stress the dangers of shooting and using illegal weapons, while judicial accountability and prosecution of those involved remain among the most prominent tools required to reduce the phenomenon and prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
The position of the Jbeil Judicial Authority acquires a direct local dimension due to its issuance following the Qartaba incident, as it moved the discussion from the details of the incident to a broader demand related to the protection of citizens and the application of the law to all weapon users without exception.
