THE HAGUE: The Media Forum for Lebanese journalists organized by the Outreach Office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) wrapped up its work over the weekend with roundtable talks on the challenges facing media in reporting on international courts.
Lebanese journalists shared their experiences covering the STL with international colleagues, who covered the Yugoslavian wars in the 1990s and later the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Journalists Thomas Verfuss from the Dutch news agency (ANP); Nidzara Ahmetasevic from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN); Nabil Bou Monsef, Lebanon Desk editor of An-Nahar newspaper; and Omar Nashabe Law page editor of Al-Akhbar newspaper were the main speakers at the roundtable.
Nashabe slammed what he described as the “selective nature” of information disseminated by the tribunal. “We need clear explanations,” he said. “The Lebanese should know about the criteria of employment and an explanation for resignations.” The STL has faced several high-profile resignations and its spokesperson’s post is currently vacant.
Verfuss said problems encountered when covering the work of international courts were almost the same. “The press speculates about the date of issuing an indictment in all international tribunals.”
UN Resolution 1757 of 2007 ordered the creation of the tribunal to probe the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The Hague-based tribunal is a type of hybrid court, which derives first and foremost from Lebanese criminal procedure but also takes account of the rules of procedure and evidence of other international courts.
The roundtable’s speakers touched upon extensive research to be undertaken when covering the work of international tribunals, while stressing the need to seek and rely on facts rather than speculation.
“This is our [Lebanese journalists’] first encounter with international justice and we all ought to double efforts to understand,” said Bou Monsef.
“This is our [Lebanese journalists’] first encounter with international justice and we all ought to double efforts to understand,” said Bou Monsef.
Ahmetasevic said in order to be able to write the facts journalists should ask and research. “A journalist shouldn’t be ashamed to ask,” she said.
Ahmetasevic and Bou Monsef also tackled the issue of personal detachment when covering the work of international courts. Ahmetasevic, a survivor of the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict between 1992 and 1995, said while she can’t be objective when covering trials due to her personal suffering, she questioned all sides, including the ICTY and the politicians.
Bou Monsef said he too cannot be objective when covering STL news, “because I’m personally concerned.”
“I am not objective. I want this tribunal to fully succeed. I want to know the truth about who killed Prime Minister Hariri so that maybe I’ll learn the truth about Samir Kassir and Gebran Tueni,” said Bou Monsef, in reference to the two An-Nahar journalists assassinated in 2005.
Nashabe suggested that all crimes committed in Lebanon should be looked into by the STL and not only the Hariri killing, adding that this was the right of the victims’ families, in addition to the Hariri family.
“We voice our honest and true commitment to justice, which shouldn’t be selective,” he said. “Selective justice can be easily politicized.”
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