Daily Star - STL's defense attorneys begin training sessions - September 13, 2010

BEIRUT: Defense counsel attorneys for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) began training sessions designed to introduce them to the concept and running of the United Nations court, a court statement said last week.

Some 40 lawyers received the training last week which included practical sessions on the operating rule of the court, background on the tribunal and explanations on the specific duties that will be performed by the defense counsel.

Defense lawyers are tasked with ensuring that all suspects in the investigation behind the killing of former Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others who died when a bomb exploded near his motorcade are given a fair trial and are properly represented, regardless of their political and religious affiliations.

“This training gave me the chance to gain the necessary knowledge, not only on the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, but also on the Agreement and the Statute and the various interpretations,” said one of the participants, Wassim Manssouri, a lawyer from the Beirut Bar Association.

“The combination of both civil law and common law in one tribunal is not an easy exercise, especially with the addition of specific elements of Lebanese criminal law. The debate among lawyers from different legal cultures was both a delightful and a fruitful experience,” he added.

Participants focused in on specifics STL-relevant topics such as issue of trials in absentia, which prohibits someone to be tried if they are not physically present at the proceedings and the definition of and the crime of terrorism in both international and Lebanese law.

Hizbullah, which according to recent media reports has been linked by the STL to the murder, is not officially cooperating with the UN court. Whether or not the Lebanese Army will be willing to arrest its members and hand them over for trial remains unknown.

The STL, established in 2005, has as yet failed to hand down any indictments, but rumors have circulated that it is gearing up to do so soon.

Further training sessions are planned for October and are expected to continue into 2011.

“I am very happy about the quality of the exchanges that took place between the counsel coming from various legal cultures,” said defense office head, Francois Roux. “During the practical exercises and case studies, the counsel demonstrated their excellent skills. I trust that the defense in the future judicial proceedings before the STL will be of high quality.” – The Daily Star