STL President met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun

Leidschendam, 17 January 2017 – The President and Vice President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Judge Ivana Hrdličková and Judge Ralph Riachi  congratulated today the newly elected President of the Lebanese Republic Michel Aoun.
During the meeting, President Hrdličková briefed him on the work of the Tribunal and said: “I am honoured to meet with President Michel Aoun and I thank him for the continuous support of Lebanon to the work of the STL." She also stressed upon the fact that "the Tribunal is for Lebanon and for the Lebanese people”. President Hrdličková reiterated to President Aoun that the “STL is an independent, fair and impartial institution working with the highest professional standards of international justice". And she concluded that “as the President of the STL I am determined to promote the values of efficiency, transparency and accountability”.
The Minister of Justice Salim Jreissati and the Prosecutor General Samir Hammoud attended the meeting held at the Presidential palace in Baabda.

Aoun welcomes STL president

Tue 17 Jan 2017 at 11:46
NNA - President of the Republic Michel Aoun welcomed on Tuesday before noon at Baabda Palace, the president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Judge Ivana Hrdlickova, hoping "to haste in issuing judgments because late justice is not justice." 
The Judge Hrdlickova congratulated President Aoun on his election, pointing out that it is her first meeting with the president of the Republic after his election. 
The Judge briefed President Aoun on the court's work and the ongoing cooperation between the Tribunal and Lebanon, especially over the financial and administrative sectors. 
The President called upon the Judge to adopt more financial and administrative transparency in the Tribunal's work, noting that Lebanon is contributing to half of the financial expenses of the Tribunal. 
Separately, Aoun welcomed from the World Bank with discussions featured high on ongoing cooperation between Lebanon and the World Bank over various fields. 

Hezbollah denied access to witnesses: STL investigator

Sep. 16, 2016 Ned Whalley| The Daily Star
An investigator at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon detailed how Hezbollah stonewalled attempts by prosecutors to interview individuals with connections to the organization.

Sentencing judgment in the case against Mr Ibrahim Al Amin and Akhbar Beirut S.A.L

Leidschendam, 29 August 2016 – The Contempt Judge at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon sentenced Mr Ibrahim Al Amin to a 20,000 Euro fine and Akhbar Beirut to a 6,000 Euro fine.
The sentencing judgment in the case against Mr Ibrahim Al Amin and Akhbar Beirut (STL-14-06) was delivered today, in a public hearing. Prior to the deliberations, both the Amicus Curiae Prosecutor and the Defence Counsel presented their arguments on sentencing before Judge Nicola Lettieri.
The Contempt Judge ordered that both fines be paid in full by 30 September 2016.
Judge Lettieri also stated that written reasons for his decision will follow as soon as practicable.

Contempt Judge finds Akhbar Beirut S.A.L and Ibrahim al Amin guilty for interfering with the administration of justice

Leidschendam, 15 July 2016 –The Contempt Judge at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Nicola Lettieri, has issued a Judgment in the contempt case against Akhbar Beirut S.A.L and Mr Ibrahim al Amin (STL 14-06) during a public hearing today.
Reading a summary of the judgment, Judge Lettieri found both Accused guilty of one count as set out in the Order in Lieu of an Indictment for knowingly and wilfully interfering with the administration of justice by publishing information on purported confidential witnesses in the Ayyash et al. case, thereby undermining public confidence in the Tribunal's ability to protect the confidentiality of information about, or provided, by witnesses or potential witnesses.
The Contempt Judge also ordered that a sentencing hearing be held on a date to be determined and invited the Accused to attend the Sentencing hearing.

The Appeals Chamber orders termination of the proceedings against Mustafa Badreddine without prejudice

Leidschendam, 11 July 2016 – The Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon issued a decision today in which it reverses the Trial Chamber's interim decision that "it did not believe sufficient evidence has yet been presented to convince it that the death of Mr Mustafa Amine Badreddine has been proven to the requisite standard."
By majority, the Appeals Judges found that there was sufficient evidence presented before the Trial Chamber to prove the death of Mr Badreddine.
The Appeals Chamber ordered the Trial Chamber to terminate the proceedings against Mustafa Badreddine, without prejudice to resume the proceedings should evidence that he is alive be adduced in the future.
The trial in the Prosecutor vs Ayyash et al. case can then proceed against the remaining four accused.

STL Judges: trial continues pending further information on the death of Mustafa Badreddine

Leidschendam, 1 June 2016 - In an oral decision issued today, the STL Trial Chamber decided that trial in the Ayyash et al. case will continue pending the receipt of further information from the government of Lebanon regarding the death of the Accused Mustafa Amine Badreddine. The Judges do not believe that sufficient evidence has yet been presented to convince them that the death of Mr Badreddine has been proved.
The Trial Chamber noted that the Prosecution has outstanding requests for assistance sent to the government of Lebanon seeking further information relating to what happened to Mr Badreddine and is awaiting responses.
The three Judges who constitute the Trial Chamber have made this decision by majority, with one dissenting opinion.
The Trial Chamber will also review any additional material and re-evaluate the material already submitted in due course. A fully-reasoned written decision will follow as soon as practicable.