The Prosecutor is appointed by the United Nations Secretary General for a three-year term, which can be renewed. "[136] In the interests of justice, the Trial Chamber therefore decided that the trial would proceed in absentia, or without the presence of the accused, in accordance with Lebanese law. On 23 May 2009, Der Spiegel revealed that after investigations into mobile phones that seemed to follow Rafic Hariri in the days leading up to the attack and on the day of the assassination,[a] investigators believed that Hezbollah forces planned and executed the attack. ", "STL not investigating false witnesses, says tribunal's registrar on Twitter", Former Syrian agent fingers Hezb men for Hariri hit, "Siddiq: Syrian documents prove Hezbollah's involvement in Harir's murder", "Former Syrian agent links Hezbollah to Hariri murder", "STL Does Not Comment on Lebanese Government Decision", "Aoun Says Lawsuit Has Been Filed against False Witnesses", "Intelligence Bureau's Chief Siddiq Testimony's Translator? On 14 February 2005, Lebanon’s former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in a bomb attack against his car convoy leaving downtown Beirut. [202] Critics consider that the "false witnesses" damaged the credibility of the STL, while Tribunal supporters believe the witnesses may have been planted to discredit the investigation. [81] The Prosecutor works in cooperation with the relevant Lebanese authorities in carrying out these tasks. [154][155], In April 2015, Lebanese journalist Karma Khayat and Al-Jadeed TV went on trial, accused of "knowingly and wilfully interfering with the administration of justice" over August 2012 broadcasts relating to alleged confidential witnesses in the Hariri case. scroll for more. Defence counsel are independent of the Tribunal,[100] but are supported by the Defence Office. The literature on the STL is constantly growing. Wetzel, Jan Erik, and Yvonne Mitri. Accordingly, it also is similar to the Section I for War Crimes and Section II for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Criminal and Appellate Divisions of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina which has such "hybrid" chambers,[40] as well as to the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). Special Tribunal for Lebanon Sentencing Judgment in the Ayyash Case. [185], In 2012, the STL's Outreach and Legacy Unit published a Glossary of Legal Terms in Arabic, English, and French, defining fundamental concepts related to international criminal law and to the STL itself in the three official languages of the Tribunal. Find all the transport options for your trip from Madrid Airport (MAD) to Special Tribunal for Lebanon right here. Africa and Intellectual Property Rights for Plant Varietie... African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Af... Africa’s International Intellectual Property Law Regimes, Africa’s International Investment Law Regimes, British Mandate of Palestine and International Law, The, Continental Shelf, Idea and Limits of the, Cooperation in Criminal Matters, Cross-Border, Drugs, International Regulation, and Criminal Liability, Ecological Restoration and International Law, Effectiveness and Evolution in Treaty Interpretation, Enforced Disappearances in International Law, Environmental Institutions, International, Extraterritorial Application of Human Rights Treaties. The judgment found Salim Ayyash guilty of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, committing a terrorist act, the intentional homicide of Hariri and 21 others, and attempted homicide This book provides a full analytical overview of the establishment and functioning of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the newest and most controversial of the UN-sponsored international criminal courts. [179] Over 800 Lebanese students have completed the program since it began in 2011. This book provides a full analytical overview of the establishment and functioning of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the newest and most controversial of the UN-sponsored international criminal courts. [11] The Tribunal is unique among international criminal tribunals in that it may hold trials in absentia,[12] and it is the first to deal with terrorism as a distinct crime. [7], The Tribunal officially opened on 1 March 2009[8][9] and has primacy over the national courts of Lebanon. Special Tribunal for Lebanon The UN could be in the hot seat if the Hezbollah imposes its criminal threats on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. [253], Still, tensions remained. [267], The indictment's heavy reliance on telecommunications data raised questions upon its release in 2011; many Lebanese officials considered the evidence compromised due to infiltration by a number of intelligence agencies, including Israel's. [276] She has further stated that the investigators came to obtain the phone numbers of 14-17 of her patients. Please subscribe or login. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Salim Ayyash was guilty beyond reasonable doubt of involvement in the suicide lorry bombing that killed Mr Hariri and 21 others. [66], Ban Ki-Moon appointed Robin Vincent as the first Registrar of the Tribunal on 11 March 2008. [98] Current Deputy Head Héleyn Uñac was appointed on an interim basis in May 2012 and was formally appointed in May 2014. Rendition, Extraterritorial Abduction, and Extraordinary R... Spanish School of International Law (c. 16th and 17th Cent... Transnational Constitutionalism, Africa and, United Nations and its Principal Organs, The. STL Spokesperson. 1757, supra note 2. 22 dead, a newly established tribunal, and the suspects of the crime nowhere to be found. Article 2 [240] Al Akhbar reported that following pressure from the United States on its Lebanese allies not to bargain over the STL, it would issue its first round of indictments in March 2011. [115], UN Security Council Resolution 1595 (2005) established the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) on 7 April 2005. [179][180] Topics include the history of the law of the international tribunals; sources of international criminal (procedural) law; the substantive law of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and terrorism; general legal principles (modes of liability, rights of the accused, role of victims); jurisdiction, admissibility and complementarity; and international criminal proceedings (pre-trial, trial, judgment, appeal and sentencing). [145] The Prosecution filed an amended indictment the following day. The authors compare the STL with other prior ad hoc criminal tribunals, such as the Special Court for Sierra Leone. It will go on. [257] Syria's Foreign Minister, Walid Muallem, also expressed concern about the situation saying it was coordinating with Saudi Arabia over the "worrisome situation," but he added that "Lebanon alone can remove the factors that are causing instability." The article discusses the investigations following the assassination of Rafik Hariri and leading to the STL’s formation. [267] Nasrallah stated that Israel wanted to assassinate Hariri to create political chaos and force Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. [151] The cases remain under investigation, and no indictments have been issued. [95] The Defence Office is mandated to protect the rights of the defence and support defence counsel and persons entitled to legal assistance (including research, evidence collection, and advice). The column titled TA lists the number of counts of acts of terrorism with which an individual has been charged. [26] The UN and the Netherlands signed a headquarters agreement to formalize the agreement on 21 December 2007. The contents of the indictment remain confidential at this stage. [143], On 13 May 2016, media reported that Mustafa Badreddine, one of the accused in Ayyash et al., had been killed in Damascus, Syria. [90][91], The STL is the first international tribunal to have a Defence Office that is independent of the Registry, on par with the Office of the Prosecutor. [46] Victims participate through designated legal representatives. EXPLORE THE STL. Aptel, Cécile. and Zgonec-Rožej, Miša (2014). [53] The President is also responsible for submitting an annual report on the Tribunal's activities to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Government of Lebanon. [85] The Prosecutor is assisted by a Lebanese Deputy Prosecutor. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon started a hearing on the crime of terrorism listed in an indictment draft. [104] However, three other defendants were acquitted due to insufficient evidence. [67] Following Vincent's resignation,[68] Ban appointed David Tolbert as Registrar on 9 July 2009, to assume the post effective 26 August 2009. Being of “international character,” the Tribunal is based in the Netherlands, brings together international and Lebanese judges, and applies Lebanese criminal law, guided by the “highest standards of international criminal procedure” (Article 28 para. The United States welcomes the guilty verdict handed down by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) against Hizballah operative Salim Ayyash for his role in the February 14, 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. [114] On 24 March 2005 the fact-finding mission submitted its report, recommending an independent international investigation be launched. Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed "not to allow my father's blood to stir disunity in Lebanon. [268], Hezbollah subsequently submitted materials to the Lebanese authorities, who then passed it on to the STL Prosecutor's office. Lebanon would foot 49 percent of the bill for the tribunal, while the rest of the budget would be financed by other states (see the box below). “Special Tribunal for Lebanon: A Commentary on Its Major Legal Aspects.” International Criminal Justice Review 18.3 (2008): 344–355. [245][246][247][248][249], On 30 July 2010, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Saudi King Abdullah and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani visited Lebanon to calm tensions. [30][31] Human Rights Watch had argued that the tribunal should have been given jurisdiction over 14 other attacks perpetrated in Lebanon since 1 October 2004. [204][205], In 2009, the STL Prosecution declared that the so-called false witnesses were no longer of interest to the Tribunal. “Some Innovations in the Statute of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.” Journal of International Criminal Justice 5 (2007): 1107–1124. Lebanon contributes 49% of the Tribunal's budget, while the remaining 51% comes from voluntary contributions. [185] This was the first full textbook on international criminal law published in Arabic. And forms an integral part thereof Sir David Baragwanath, elected on 10 December 2010 may.. Be found 13 years ago [ 85 ] the dangerous repercussions '' of indictment. And tender evidence at Trial, Amal, Nidal Nabil and Tolbert, David ) pronounced its first sentence its! The truth and end impunity Syria 's Foreign Minister, Walid Muallem,,. Whoever is interested in Lebanon, with virtually all political leaders weighing in 54 ], the is. 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