STL: Debate over trial in absentia for Hariri suspects

Prosecutors at a U.N.-backed court set up to prosecute the killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri told judges Friday it is too early to stage a trial in absentia for four Hezbollah members indicted in the assassination. (more…)

STL: Lebanon police must do more than knock on doors

Are Lebanese authorities doing more than knocking on the doors of long since vacated last known addresses of the four defendants, in the case against the men suspected of killing former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri?

Jumblatt urges Hezbollah to defend its accused members in court

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Thursday urged Hezbollah during an interview on Al-Arabiya television to allow Premier Najib Mikati’s government to pay Lebanon’s annual 49% share of funds to the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) . (more…)

STL prosecutor: Too early to begin a trial in abstentia

Special Tribunal for Lebanon prosecutor Daniel Bellemare said Tuesday that it is too early to begin a trial in absentia against the four accused Hezbollah members.

He demanded That the Lebanese authorities should be heard in the Trial Chamber. (more…)

Mashnouq accuses Mikati of deceiving Lebanese on STL funding

March 14 MP Nuhad Mashnouq launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Najib Mikati over the weekend, describing him as disingenuous over the issue of funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as well as belittling the intelligence of Lebanese by misrepresenting Hezbollah’s clear opposition to the court’s funding. (more…)

U.S. tells Lebanon: Fund tribunal or face ‘hash decisions’

US Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman said Friday that ‘harsh decisions’ will be made against Lebanon if it does not provide its share of funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) investigating the 2005 assassination of prime minister Rafik Hariri. (more…)

Hezbollah chief, Lebanon PM to meet over STL funding, report

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will meet with Prime Minister Najib Mikati to address basic issues related to administrative appointments and paying Lebanon’s share of funding to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Al-Balad newspaper reported on Friday basing its report on unnamed source close to Hezbollah . (more…)

Murr: Mikati committed to international resolutions including STL funding

Following a meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail, former Defense Minister Elias al-Murr said that the premier is committed to international resolutions, including that of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). (more…)

Hezbollah official who was indicted by STL demoted, report

Mustafa Badreddine, the highest ranking Hezbollah member indicted indicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri “has been stripped of his position in Hezbollah and is probably outside Lebanon, ” Al-Liwaa newspaper reported Friday. (more…)

STL: Fransen requests Trial Chamber to decide on proceedings in absentia

The Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen on Monday has asked the Trial Chamber to determine whether proceedings in absentia should be initiated in the case of Ayyash et al. (more…)