Former premier Saad Hariri said Thursday that the cabinet should uphold Lebanon’s commitments towards the international tribunal and has no excuse in escaping its responsibilities.
In a statement issued by his press office, Hariri described the release of the indictment by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as a "historic moment" for Lebanon.
His comments came after officials said the STL submitted an indictment and arrest warrants to Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza in his father's assassination case.
People close to Hizbullah are mentioned in the indictment.
Below is the full text of Hariri’s statement:
“Dear Lebanese, brothers and sisters, friends everywhere,
After long years of patience, waiting and continued national struggle, the indictment in the assassination crime of Martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and his companions was announced today. Today, we witness together a distinctive historic moment in the political, judicial, security and moral life of Lebanon. I feel the beats in my heart embracing the hearts of all the Lebanese who defended the cause of justice and refused to bargain on the blood of martyrs.
We all fought together for this historic moment. We struggled in our daily, family, social, cultural, political and economic life. We chose not to revenge or resent. We relied on God and started a costly and long path towards justice and truth through a tribunal of international character with Lebanese judges that would provide evidence and give the accused, whoever they are, a chance to defend themselves.
Today, I find myself closer than any time before to my family and the people of my country. I am with them in all cities, towns and homes. I am with the families and crowds who rushed to the Freedom Square and the grave of Martyr Premier, filling the squares all over Lebanon, defying desperation, intimidation and threats, and vowing not to surrender to the will of the killers and criminals.
I salute and embrace each and every one of you and tell you all: Thank you. Thanks to the beloved Lebanese people. I renew my pledge to remain with you loyal to the legacy of Martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and of all the other martyrs and the free people who fell on the road of the Cedars Revolution and the free independent national decision.
This progress in the course of justice and the Special Tribunal is for all the Lebanese without any exception, and it should be a turning point in the history of fighting organized political crime in Lebanon and the Arab world, just as we want it to be a focal point for uniting the Lebanese in the face of the factors of division and the attempts to disrupt the principles of national conciliation.
On this occasion, I cannot but express, on my behalf and on behalf of my mother, sisters, brothers, uncle, aunt and all the members of the family, our sincerest feelings of solidarity with the families of the martyrs who fell with Martyr Prime Minister, and the friends and families and companions of all the martyrs who fell on this great national path, which launched the spark of freedom in Lebanon and the Arab world.
It is a moment to salute the families of all our martyrs, each and every father, mother, sister and brother who chose the path of justice and truth, not revenge, giving full meaning to their sacrifices and to the struggle of the Lebanese people for sovereignty, freedom and independence.
We are all part of a patriotic Lebanese family, who takes note on this day, with loyalty and appreciation, of what the Arab brothers and all the friends in the world have offered in order to achieve justice and protect Lebanon from the terrorist series of political crime.
Loyalty also imposes that we reiterate our thanks to everyone involved in the investigation of the crimes that targeted symbols of Lebanon, from Lebanese official security and justice agencies, to the international investigation team, and everyone who worked and is still working in the framework of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the files related to it in accordance with resolution 1757.
Dear brothers and sisters, justice offers today a new chapter of truth, and nothing can disrupt the spirit of justice.
Responsibility imposes on everyone to accompany this spirit and refrain from perturbing the course of justice, and to find in the announcement of the indictment an opportunity for the Lebanese state to assume its responsibilities, as well as the Lebanese government’s commitment to cooperate fully with the International Tribunal and not to evade pursuing the accused and handing them over to justice, which is a guarantee of democracy and stability.
The Lebanese government is invited politically, nationally, legally and morally, to implement Lebanon's obligations towards the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and nobody has an excuse to escape from this responsibility. I humbly ask that nobody put in doubt our will or the decision of the Lebanese to persevere in order to achieve justice in the assassinations of all the Cedars Revolution martyrs, and that everybody be sure that intimidation will not help to break this will.
Lebanon has paid the price of this moment, in decades of killings and assassinations without accountability. It is time to put a final end to this shameful series. The end of the killers’ era has begun, and the beginning of the justice era is approaching.
Lebanon has triumphed for international justice, and justice has triumphed for the souls of the martyrs. At this moment, I can only look towards the spirit of my father, martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and the spirits of the martyrs who fought for Lebanon, and tell them that your blood did flow be in vain, and that the truth has began to see the light and justice is coming.
May God have mercy upon you for what you have given to Lebanon and all the Lebanese, and May Allah bless you with heaven.
Long live the martyrs of Lebanon. Long live justice. Long live Lebanon.”
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