Beirut explosion

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Justice for the Beirut blast can help avert Lebanon’s collapse

Holding the Lebanese political elite to account can be the first step towards the country’s recovery.

Relatives react as they lift placards depicting the victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast

Relatives lift placards depicting the victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast during a protest march near the Lebanese capital's harbour on August 4, 2023 [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Protesters lift flags and placards depicting the victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast

Some protesters carried a Lebanese flag splattered with red paint on the third anniversary of the port explosion, which killed more than 220 people. [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Dozens of demonstrators carry a Lebanese flag with a message written on it promising to continue the fight for justice for the victims and survivors of the port blast. [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Dani Salameh, a multiple scelerosis patient whose symptoms have worsened after his injury

Dani Salameh, a multiple scelerosis patient whose symptoms have worsened since he was injured in the 2020 blast, uses a walker he now requires to move around his house in Beirut. [Anwar Amro/AFP]

A boy sells flowers in the historic Gemmayzeh district, which had been badly damaged in Beirut's port blast

A boy sells flowers in the historic Gemmayzeh district, which was badly damaged in the 2020 blast. [Joseph Eid/AFP]

destroyed silo following a massive explosion at Beirut's port

This picture shows a destroyed silo after one of history's biggest non-nuclear explosions that took place at Beirut's port on August 4, 2020. [File: Marwan Tahtah/AFP]

People drive past newly restored historic buildings

Reconstruction continues three years after the explosion. These historic buildings in the Gimmayzeh district have recently been restored. [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Families of the victims of the 2020 Beirut Port blast demonstrate with their portraits outside the Justice Palace

Families of the victims are still waiting for people to be held to account for the 2020 blast. These families demonstrate with their loved ones' portraits outside the Justice Palace in Beirut on the third anniversary. [Anwar Amro/AFP]

William Noun and his fiancee, Maria Fares, stand outside a church built in memory of his late firefighter brother, Joe, in the village of Mechmech. [Joseph Eid/AFP]

Protesters lift placards depicting the victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast

Protesters are angry that the investigation has gone nowhere, leading Aya Majzoub of Amnesty International to say: "The authorities have used every tool at their disposal to shamelessly undermine and obstruct the domestic investigation to shield themselves from accountability - and perpetuate the culture of impunity in the country." [Joseph Eid/AFP]

People take a picture in the historic Gemmayzeh district

Rebuilding has brought visitors back to the damaged neighbourhoods, including Gemmayzeh, but businesses were closed there on August 4, 2023, for a national day of mourning. [Joseph Eid/AFP]