Decision on Assignment of Counsel in STL's Akhbar Case
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri issued on Thursday a decision providing written reasons for the assignment of counsel in the case against Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and al-Akhbar newspaper's editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin.
The initial appearances of Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and al-Amin, which were originally scheduled for May 13, were rescheduled to May 29 upon the request of the accused.
Al-Amin, representing both himself and the company, appeared via video-conference last Thursday. But prior to entering a plea, he read a statement to the court, after which he left the courtroom.
Lettieri interpreted his statement and his actions as a plea of not-guilty, said the STL.
“After consultations with the parties the judge ordered the Defense Office to appoint counsel for the accused,” it said in a statement.
“The decision of the Contempt Judge makes it clear that al-Amin’s presence at the initial appearance means that he no longer has the rights that an Accused in an in absentia trial enjoys,” the STL said.
The Contempt Judge states in his decision that al-Amin may still participate in person or via video-conference in these proceedings, and appoint counsel of his own choosing to represent him if he wishes to do so.
In this case, Lettieri concludes that he “would be ready to reconsider” his decision on the appointment of the counsel on his behalf.
In addition to ordering the assignment of counsel, Lettieri ordered the Amicus Curiae Prosecutor to initiate disclosure at the earliest opportunity after counsel is assigned and necessary arrangements are made, the STL said in its statement.
Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and al-Amin are charged with “knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice by publishing information on purported confidential witnesses in the Ayyash et al. Case.”
New TV S.A.L. and deputy head of news at al-Jadeed television Karma Tahsin al-Khayat also face the same charges.
In April last year, a list of 167 names of so-called witnesses for the trial in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination was published by a previously unknown group identified as "Journalists for the Truth."
The group said it wanted to "unveil the corruption" of the STL.
Both al-Akhbar and al-Jadeed published the list.
G.K.
H.K.
05 June 2014, 15:00
115
"Al-Amin, representing both himself and the company, appeared via video-conference last Thursday. But prior to entering a plea, he read a statement to the court, after which he left the courtroom."
Conveniently forgetting that the tribunal did not let him finish his statement, because he was saying disturbing yet simple truths.
Maybe if they had let him speak, they would have known he rejected having a lawyer.
"Based on the above, I have decided to exercise my right to remain silent during the entire proceedings, and I refuse to appoint a lawyer to defend me or the “Akhbar Beirut Company.” I also strongly reject being assigned a lawyer by the tribunal."
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/ibrahim-al-amins-full-speech-stl
seems like the tribunal chose instead to assign a random puppet who will show more docility and subservience to this masquerade of foreign powers taking over our sovereign right to render justice.
05 June 2014, 15:26
00
juries traditionally have twelve jurors, but here we have a jury of two twelvers who think they also are judge and if given the orders executioner.
05 June 2014, 15:53
95
get a life eagledown, whether you like it or not i have the right to express my opinions.
if you disagree then give your opinion instead of personally attacking other people.
05 June 2014, 16:13
58
when someone is getting paid to post by the enemies of lebanon, then it is no longer about opinions but rather propaganda.
05 June 2014, 15:13
68
@Southern : What would happen to journalists who publish the list of all Hezbollah terrorists and their functions within your terrorist organisation ? Why do you keep your terrorists in chief secret ? It's exactly the same reason why witnesses are kept confidential until they actually "testify" and get cross examined by the defence.
Yalla, time to compile a list of all Hezbollah criminal terrorists and see the reaction of your terrorist in chief who has a habit of targeting and murdering journalists instead !
05 June 2014, 15:32
67
So you tell me Hezbollah does not keep the names of its commanders confidential ? Fine, yalla, time to gather data and start publishing !
And regarding the murder of journalists, Gebran Tueni, Samir Kassir, May Chidiac were all murdered (or almost) by Hezbollah under orders from Bashar el Assad. They were murdered for speaking their minds.
The same way Hezbollah invaded Beirut because some politicians spoke their minds about the illegality of Hezbollah activities including their illegal telecom network.
Now it's time to take out the trash. Yalla, go to Syria to congratulate your new president and stay there ! He will be needing 10x the support to explain why the Syrian people are still at war when he has 88.7% of votes !
05 June 2014, 15:43
67
What's your take on their murder ? they were murdered by M14 Cannibal Zionist Takfiris ?
05 June 2014, 17:10
44
Exactly Mowaten, it's an evidence "game". Yalla go to court to face trial... oh I forgot, you murdered all the suspects to tie off loose ends !
Funny no ? Even Butros Harb's attempted murdered miraculously died in Syria and became a "Martyr"... Yalla buzz off or stop supporting criminals and terrorists !
05 June 2014, 17:58
65
lol yea right.
it is easy for you to turn your attention away each time you are shown its obvious inconsistencies, but if it was your head that the STL was out to get, i doubt you'd just go like a sheep to the slaughterhouse.
on second thought, you behave so much like a sheep i actually wouldnt put it passed you, but if you think HA's top leaders will just go there and be judged by a trial that can sentence without evidence, you are mistaken.
let them create an STL to judge israeli crimes. how come hobeika got blown up the day after he announced he would testify against sharon? how come the noble and virtuous world powers behind the UN never cared about it?
the STL is a silly and childish game, you can go play along, but we wont.
05 June 2014, 18:16
45
@Mowaten : what inconsistencies ? Other than your fairy tales !
No one convicted HA's top leaders. You're the one who's mentionning them. The only suspects convicted are small time HA assassins who were murdered by your party.
Go ahead and create a court to judge sharon and Israel for their crimes. No one is saying they are innocent. Also convict Lebanese christians responsible for the massacre of palestinians. No problem.
All this doesn't mean Hezbollah is innocent of their crimes. The STL is here to convict HA assassins with scientific evidence without any reasonable doubt. No evidence, no conviction.
Now explain to me why all Hezbollah assassins mysteriously died or dissappeared. And explain to me why HA MPs and Ministers approved the STL to begin with ... now shove off ...
05 June 2014, 21:09
51
i am not saying that israel being guilty make HA innocent. i believe HA is innocent for many other reasons, but that is not the point.
the point is, that the UN and this court are biased, they never condemned the war crimes committed by the US and israel, and yet you think they will be fair and impartial with HA, who is the enemy of both israel and the US? these two control the UN to a great extent, and it wouldnt be the first time that the US uses it for tactical reasons.
(remember in iraq? they used the UN to try to build a WMD case, and when that failed, they used the UN WMD inspectors as spies to identify targets they would later hit. all this was publicly denounced by the head inspector after the war)
05 June 2014, 21:13
41
"Hans Blix has not been interviewed in the American media since the war began on March 19. However, he gave an extensive interview to the Spanish newspaper, El Pa’s on April 9 in which he made it clear that the United States' claim that intelligence sources had proof of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was doubtful at best.
Blix pointed out that U.S. intelligence services seemed to be collecting military reconnaissance information rather than evidence of weapons of mass destruction. This made it necessary for Blix to strictly delimit his activities to protect the integrity of the inspections process."
http://www.monitor.net/monitor/0304a/copyright/blixinterview.html
06 June 2014, 12:20
10
Thank you mowaten for showing how irrelevant you are !
"the UN and this court are biased, they never condemned the war crimes committed by the US and israel"
What does this court have to do with Israeli or US war crimes ? This court is about the assassination of tens of prominent free lebanese figures who gave their lives to free our country for decades of Syrian occupation. They sacrificed more than any Hezbollah goon !
It's very clear now. You have NOTHING to say so have to come up with the world's most stupid excuses
06 June 2014, 20:48
00
@MOVATEN : there is no link between the murder of Lebanese politicians and US / Israeli war crimes. Shove it !
05 June 2014, 16:03
46
Except there has been deaths associated to the Tribunal. Like the intelligence office for example. So I wouldn't agree with your statement entirely. There is nothing to gain at this point to publish that list except to try and discredit the tribunal and put pressure on the witnesses.
05 June 2014, 16:57
75
who leaked the list? why is no effort made to find this out? could it be that someone inside the tribunal leaked it voluntarily? i dont see who else had access to it anyway...
but like with the false witnesses, they will tell you they are not interested in finding out. all they care about is silencing those who are against them.
05 June 2014, 17:41
55
Uff, we still have "people" who believe in Hezbollah's divine victory. Who believe Hezbollah is a "resistance" movement. Who believe Hezbollah protects "Lebanon". Who believes Hassan is a "Sayyed". If he is in fact a descendant of the "prophet", then to hell with your prophet and kalashnikov god. Time to eliminate these manipulators and brainwashed sheep !
You are a waste of oxygen, water, electricity, land, food and time. Damn, you're even a waste of alcohol with Hassan's Glorious Marty Son killed after a drunk bar fight passed off as a glorious act of resistance against Israel :)
05 June 2014, 17:51
74
lol what a completely useless and off-topic rant FC.
i guess when faced with the obvious inconsistencies of the STL, your only way out is to divert the conversation
06 June 2014, 01:47
12
Killing innocent people, threats against witnesses ??? what do you call that?
06 June 2014, 01:54
13
Not strange to see such creation bark as hard to promote Iranian mullas. Hizbollah terrorists, shame on every one that support you.
