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Win for Activists: Judicial Decision Halts Construction Above Amchit Monk Seal Cave
In a significant victory for environmental advocates, the Judge of Urgent Matters in Jbeil has issued a ruling ordering the immediate suspension of all excavation and construction activities on plot 345 in Amchit, the site overlooking the natural cave that serves as a habitat for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.
The decision, announced on November 4, 2025, forces property owner Roula Bahnam to halt all works until the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation in Mount Lebanon issues a final order following the completion of investigations. The court also instructed Jbeil police and the Coast Guard in Jounieh to enforce the ruling immediately, with a daily fine being imposed for any non-compliance.
Unfortunately, just hours after the ruling, activists were forced to once again stage physical sit-ins to prevent cement from being poured over the cave.
The ruling follows weeks of public pressure and activism, including an open-ended hunger strike launched by environmentalist and journalist Saade Saade and a protest organized by the Save Our Seals Campaign at the site in late October. Despite earlier suspension orders by the Ministry of Environment and a ruling by Judge Ghada Aoun, illegal construction had continued, sparking widespread outrage among environmental groups and local residents.
Environmental organization TERRE Liban commended the new decision, calling it “a reinforcement of the rule of law and a crucial step toward protecting Lebanon’s natural heritage.” The Save Our Seals Campaign reiterated its demand for a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), as required by law, emphasizing that any construction near the cave poses a grave threat to one of Lebanon’s few remaining habitats for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.
With this judicial decision, environmental advocates are celebrating a major step forward in the fight to protect the Amchit Monk Seal Cave, marking a rare example of Lebanon’s fragile marine biodiversity finally receiving the legal protection it deserves.
