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Ali Cherri case: French proceedings over a Beirut strike

This dossier follows the French complaint and judicial investigation concerning the bombing of Franco-Lebanese artist Ali Cherri's Beirut apartment, distinguishing the proceedings' scope from criminal responsibility yet to be established.

Last updated : 1 key moments
The Grand Serail in Beirut in 2017.
Beirut, Grand Serail, August 2017. Archive geographical illustration; this is not the targeted building. Pjposullivan1, CC BY-SA 2.0. — Pjposullivan1 / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ ; 12 août 2017, redimensionnement.

Where things stand

On 3 November 2026, FIDH announced a judicial investigation and the appointment of two judges. It concerns the attack on the apartment, rather than deaths of victims who were not French nationals.

Reported information

France opens investigation into bombing of Ali Cherri's Beirut apartment

FIDH announced on 3 November that a judicial investigation had opened in Paris over an allegedly deliberate attack on a civilian object, potentially constituting a war crime, following the bombing of Ali Cherri's Beirut apartment.

The Grand Serail in Beirut in 2017.
Beirut, Grand Serail, August 2017. Archive geographical illustration; this is not the targeted building. Pjposullivan1, CC BY-SA 2.0. — Pjposullivan1 / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ ; 12 août 2017, redimensionnement.

Two investigating judges have been appointed, according to the organization and the complainant's lawyer. The proceedings follow an April 2026 complaint concerning the 26 November 2024 strike.

FIDH says French jurisdiction covers the apartment of the artist, who holds French nationality, rather than the deaths of non-French victims, including his parents. Opening an investigation is not a conviction; responsibility remains to be established.

Sources 3