BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman is withholding his signature from a decree to promote around 400 police officers because of reservations over some of the personnel, political sources told The Daily Star Friday.

Among the officers to be elevated to higher ranks is Col. Wissam al-Hasan, the head of the Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch. Hasan would be promoted to brigadier general.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has accused Hasan and other officials – all loyal to former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri – of violating the law.

Aoun has repeatedly called for the replacement of police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and demanded that the Information Branch be dissolved, claiming its creation was “illegitimate.”

Sleiman’s delay in signing the decree is an indication that he is seeking to avoid further conflict with Aoun, with whom he has been at loggerheads over several issues in recent months.

Disagreements between the two over the Cabinet lineup earlier this year delayed the government’s formation by five months.

The sources, speaking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, said the promotion has already been approved by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Hariri urged an end to what he called “blackmail” being practiced over the promotion of the officers.

“The president, along with all the involved officials, are responsible for addressing this issue and putting an end to blackmail being carried out by some,” Hariri said in remarks published Friday by Al-Mustaqbal newspaper.

“On our part, and from our political standing, we will not tolerate any injustice to be carried out against this group of officers,” Hariri said.

In addition to Hasan and Rifi, Aoun has called on Mikati to dismiss four other senior Sunni officials, including State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza, and the director general of Ogero, Abdel-Monem Youssef.

Mikati has said he would not accept the “targeting” of the six.