This blog of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) aims at granting the public opinion access to all information related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon : daily press review in english, french and arabic ; UN documents, etc...

Ce blog du
Centre Libanais des droits humains (CLDH) a pour objectif de rendre accessible à l'opinion publique toute l'information relative au Tribunal Spécial pour le Liban : revue de presse quotidienne en anglais, francais et arabe ; documents onusiens ; rapports, etc...
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PRESS REVIEW

March 30, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Sfeir says STL should carry on with its work no matter what

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir told As-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) proved that it is fair, adding that it should carry on with its work no matter what.

Sfeir also said that the STL should not be politicized and should reveal the truth about the murder of several Lebanese officials, including former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The patriarch added that the March 14 alliance will persevere, despite Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s split from it in August 2009. He admitted that the alliance’s performance has somehow deteriorated, “however, this does not mean that the coalition has been dissolved.”

Sfeir also touched on the criticisms launched against President Michel Sleiman, saying that some were planning to remove Sleiman from his post and replace him, in a reference to Tawhid Movement leader Wiam Wahhab’s recent call on Sleiman to resign.

According to Sfeir, Syria withdrew its army from Lebanon in 2005, however, it can still interfere in the country’s domestic affairs through Damascus’ Lebanese allies.

“Some Lebanese want Syria to return to Lebanon so as to further their personal interests,” said Sfeir, adding that Lebanon’s interests lie in building good relations with its neighbors.

The patriarch also said that some Christian leaders criticize him because he refuses to adopt their points of view, in reference to the Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun. Relations between Sfeir and Aoun soured in 2006 after the latter signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hezbollah.

Sfeir commented on “the fragile situation” in Lebanon, saying the country should have only one army. However, he did not elaborate further.

He denied that Hezbollah threatens the Christian community, however, he called on Lebanese government to place all arms under state control.

-NOW Lebanon

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Background - خلفية

On 13 December 2005 the Government of the Lebanese Republic requested the UN to establish a tribunal of an international character to try all those who are alleged responsible for the attack of 14 february 2005 that killed the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others. The United Nations and the Lebanese Republic consequently negotiated an agreement on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Liens - Links - مواقع ذات صلة

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, David Schenker , March 30, 2010 . Beirut Spring: The Hariri Tribunal Goes Hunting for Hizballah


Frederic Megret, McGill University, 2008. A special tribunal for Lebanon: the UN Security Council and the emancipation of International Criminal Justice


International Center for Transitional Justice Handbook on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, April 10, 2008


United Nations
Conférence de presse de Nicolas Michel, 19 Sept 2007
Conférence de presse de Nicolas Michel, 27 Mars 2008


Département d'Etat américain
* 2009 Human Rights report
* 2008 Human Rights report
* 2007 Human Rights report
* 2006 Human Rights report
* 2005 Human Rights report



ICG - International Crisis Group
The Hariri Tribunal: Separate the Political and the Judicial, 19 July, 2007. [Fr]


HCSS - Hague Centre for strategic studies
Hariri, Homicide and the Hague


Human Rights Watch
* Hariri Tribunal can restore faith in law, 11 may 2006
* Letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, april 27, 2006


Amnesty International
* STL insufficient without wider action to combat impunity
* Liban : le Tribunal de tous les dangers, mai 2007
* Jeu de mecano


Courrier de l'ACAT - Wadih Al Asmar
Le Tribunal spécial pour le Liban : entre espoir et inquiétude


Georges Corm
La justice penale internationale pour le Liban : bienfait ou malediction?


Nadim Shedadi and Elizabeth Wilmshurt, Chatham House
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon : the UN on Trial?, July 2007


Issam Michael Saliba, Law Library of Congress
International Tribunals, National Crimes and the Hariri Assassination : a novel development in International Criminal Law, June 2007


Mona Yacoubian, Council on Foreign Relations
Linkages between Special UN Tribunal, Lebanon, and Syria, June 1, 2007