STL Sets Date for Start of Trial in Case against al-Amin, al-Akhbar

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri on Wednesday set a January 28, 2016 date for the start of trial in the contempt case against al-Akhbar newspaper and its editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin, the STL said in a statement.

“In a scheduling order issued today, the Judge set a date for a Pre-Trial Conference on 11 December 2015 at 3:30 pm (CET),” it added.

“The Parties shall make opening statements and the Amicus Prosecutor shall present his case-in-chief from 28-29 January 2016 and 1-2 February 2016, as needed,” the court said.

It added that “the Defense shall present its case, if any, from 25-26 and 29 February 2016 and 1 March 2016.”

Al-Amin and Akhbar Beirut S.A.L are each charged with one count of contempt and obstruction of justice. The initial appearances of the Accused were held on May 29, 2014.

On January 23, 2015, the STL Appeals Panel unanimously decided that the court does have jurisdiction to hear cases of obstruction of justice against legal persons in the case against al-Amin and al-Akhbar, reversing a previous decision by Lettieri.

Al-Amin and al-Akhbar, as well as al-Jadeed TV and its deputy chief editor Karma Khayat, had been charged with contempt by the tribunal after they disclosed details of alleged STL witnesses.

The initial hearing in the contempt case was held on May 13, 2014 at the STL's headquarters in The Hague, amid the absence of al-Amin who later appeared before the court via video conference.

On September 28, Lettieri sentenced Khayat to a fine of 10,000 euros on charges of “interfering with the administration of justice” by failing to remove online content on alleged witnesses.

The judge found Khayat guilty and Al-Jadeed S.A.L. not guilty with respect to the charges under Count 2, meaning for failing to remove the information on the alleged witnesses from al-Jadeed TV’s website and YouTube channel despite an order by the STL Pre-Trial Judge to do so.

Lettieri found both Khayat and Al-Jadeed S.A.L. “not guilty with respect to the charges under Count 1 of the order in lieu of indictment.”

The first count includes diffusing information that undermines public confidence in “the court's ability to protect the confidentiality of information about, or provided by, witnesses or potential witnesses.”

However, Amicus Curiae Prosecutor Kenneth Scott announced in late September that he will appeal Lettieri's decisions.

The STL has indicted five Hizbullah members for involvement in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah dismissed the court as a U.S.-Israeli scheme against his group and vowed that the accused will never be found.

Y.R.