STL’s Deputy Head of Defense Office Quits

The deputy head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s Defense Office, Alia Aoun, has informed the Registrar that she intends to return to practice as an attorney, the court said in a press release on Tuesday.

“Following the start of the judicial phase of the STL on 1 February 2012, it is now primarily for the Defense Counsel to ensure the protection of the rights of the accused and equitable justice,” the statement quoted Aoun as saying.

“As the Deputy Head of the Defense Office, I have helped to prepare the ground for the development of a judicial process that is fair and respectful of all parties.”

“Throughout my term I have been acutely aware of the importance of our work to the Lebanese people. It is my hope that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will continue to fulfill its mandate through the professionalism and devotion of the tribunal’s staff,” Aoun added.

Alia Aoun will return to practice as an attorney in Paris where she will continue to pursue the promotion of the rule of law in Lebanon and the wider Arab world.

The tribunal was set up by the U.N. Security Council in 2007 to investigate the February 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.

It has announced that it will put four Hizbullah members on trial even though they have not yet been detained.