Friday, April 12, 2013

Madi, Hebel tackle distribution of alleged "secret witnesses" names' issue.

Fri 12 Apr 2013 - NNA - General Prosecutor, Judge Hatem Madi, met Friday noon with Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Registrar, Herman von Hebel, where they took up the issue of the distribution of alleged "secret witnesses" names.

Talks also reportedly dwelt on cooperation issues between STL and the Lebanese judiciary.

"As soon as we receive the request of the International Tribunal on the distribution of the alleged secret witnesses' names, we shall carry out the full steps to uncover the side which has published these names," Madi stressed before STL Registrar.

Madi pointed out that he requested Criminal Investigation to take action, providing it with a copy move of what has been published.

Madi also affirmed that the persons whose names were published are entitled to file lawsuits against the publisher side.

Hebel, for his part, requested from Madi to take steps at the level of the Lebanese judiciary on this matter. Madi replied that the Lebanese judiciary is ready to respond to STL's official requests.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Tribunal condemns attempts to interfere with judicial process.

Leidschendam, 11 April 2013 –The Special Tribunal for Lebanon condemns in the strongest possible terms the latest attempt to interfere with the proper administration of justice by publishing a list of alleged witnesses and potentially endangering the lives of Lebanese citizens.
The list of persons that could be placed at risk by this irresponsible website is not, in fact, an accurate reflection of official court records.
The Tribunal will not comment on the Prosecution's witness list as submitted in the Pre Trial Brief as it is currently confidential by a judicial order.
Those behind the website purporting to unveil the "truth", are in grave breach of journalistic ethics and employ questionable methods such as Internet hacking.
Any attempt to knowingly and willfully interfere with the judicial process, including disclosure of confidential material or threatening, intimidating, or otherwise interfering with potential witnesses, is taken very seriously by the four organs of the Tribunal.
The Tribunal can confirm that it has requested the assistance of Lebanese authorities and others in this matter
so that appropriate measures may be taken if necessary.
While there are measures currently being undertaken by the Tribunal in response to the website that purports to name alleged witnesses, discussing those measures in public could hinder our efforts.