Rifi Decides to Refer Samaha's Case to International Criminal Court

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Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi announced Friday that he has decided to refer the case of ex-minister Michel Samaha to the International Criminal Court, accusing some members of the cabinet of blocking the referral of the proceedings to Lebanon's Judicial Council, one of the country's top courts.

“How can we forgive the deeds of someone who conspired with Syria to plot assassinations against political and religious figures?” said Rifi at a press conference.

“After Samaha's farce of a trial, we believe that the case must take another course in order to put the big and small criminals in trial, because Samaha's crime is not less significant than the assassination crimes” that the country has witnessed, the minister added.

“We have knocked every door in order to achieve justice, but due to the continued attempts to paralyze decisions and obstruct the case, my national and ethical duties oblige me to offer citizens an inevitable choice, which is resorting to the ICC,” Rifi said.

On February 11, Rifi withdrew from a cabinet meeting after it failed for a third time to address referring the case to the Judicial Council. He said then that he would not return to cabinet unless this issue is the first article on its agenda, although he attended Thursday's session.

Samaha was released from prison on bail earlier this year under a controversial Military Court ruling that sent shockwaves across the country. He was arrested in August 2012 and charged with attempting to carry out "terrorist acts" before he was sentenced in May 2015 to four-and-half years in prison.

In June, the Military Cassation Court nullified the verdict and ordered a retrial.

Samaha, an ex-adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, admitted during his trial that he had transported the explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon. He, however, argued that he should be acquitted because he was a victim of entrapment by a Lebanese security services informer identified as Milad Kfoury.

Rifi noted Friday that “the ICC has jurisdiction to look into crimes against humanity, and premeditated murder is considered a crime against humanity if it happens in a systematic manner and among residents, the thing that is identical to what Samaha had intended to commit.”

The minister also revealed that he will ask Canada's authorities for help seeing as Samaha holds a Canadian passport.

“Seeing as Samaha holds the Canadian nationality, Canada's judiciary will definitely not accept that a criminal accused of war crimes be acquitted,” Rifi added.

“We will now discuss the mechanism that would allow the international court to become in charge of the case,” he went on to say.

Y.R.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 5
Missing humble 19 February 2016, 10:26

This Samaha criminal must receive a life sentence.

Thumb justin 19 February 2016, 17:28

All the respect Mr. Rifi

Missing humble 19 February 2016, 20:30

Next turn will be the Butcher in person...wait and see.

Missing humble 19 February 2016, 23:44

It is up to the International Court to accept the case.If it is accepted then we will have an impartial judgment.

Missing humble 19 February 2016, 23:45

Impartial = not dominated by those who hold the weapons.