In an interview with As-Safir newspaper published on Tuesday, Speaker Nabih Berri said that he is concerned about “some positions voiced by leading figures of the March 14 alliance regarding the issue of false witnesses.”
Berri’s statement came during his official two-day visit to France. He arrived in Paris on Monday evening.
He said that “the positions of March 14 leaders reflect a setback from the principle of transferring the issue of false witnesses to the [Justice Council].”
According to As-Safir, the Speaker “frowned” upon the idea of refusing to transfer the false witnesses issue to the Justice Council, which he labeled as “the higher judicial authority” in Lebanon.
On August 18, the cabinet delegated Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to prepare a report on the issue of witnesses who gave false testimony to the international investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Several March 8 figures have called for the issue to be referred to the Justice Council, while March 14 parties want the regular judicial bodies to deal with the issue.
Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will soon issue its indictment in the Rafik Hariri murder. There are fears that, should the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May Events – when gunmen led by Hezbollah took over half of Beirut.
Berri’s statement came during his official two-day visit to France. He arrived in Paris on Monday evening.
He said that “the positions of March 14 leaders reflect a setback from the principle of transferring the issue of false witnesses to the [Justice Council].”
According to As-Safir, the Speaker “frowned” upon the idea of refusing to transfer the false witnesses issue to the Justice Council, which he labeled as “the higher judicial authority” in Lebanon.
On August 18, the cabinet delegated Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to prepare a report on the issue of witnesses who gave false testimony to the international investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Several March 8 figures have called for the issue to be referred to the Justice Council, while March 14 parties want the regular judicial bodies to deal with the issue.
Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will soon issue its indictment in the Rafik Hariri murder. There are fears that, should the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May Events – when gunmen led by Hezbollah took over half of Beirut.
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