Female judges take on the banks in Lebanon

On Thursday a third judge, Rania Rahme, joined them, issuing a decision to impose a fine of 200 million Lebanese pounds (nearly $133,000) after Byblos Bank refused to implement her decision to transfer university tuition fees to a Lebanese student studying abroad. That decision was based on the Student Dollar law passed by parliament last October but not implemented by the banks.

Rahme’s decision is reportedly the first fine to be issued by the Lebanese judiciary against banks to compel them to implement that law.

A judicial source speaking to Arab News described promoting the decisions of the three judges on social media and in some media outlets as a heroic battle as “a dish of pebbles and a populist parade.” The source said the decisions are likely to be reversed on appeal.