Lebanon Tribunal Says Ayyash Case to Proceed in Absentia

Arab World

February 7th, 9:13am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

Georges Hawi, former leader of the Lebanese Communist Party, died in a bomb blast in his car in June 2005. (AFP)

Trial Chamber II of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) issued a decision on Wednesday to proceed with a trial in absentia against Salim Jamil Ayyash, accused in the attacks against former Lebanese minister Marwan Hamadeh, former secretary general of the Lebanese Communist Party Georges Hawi and former minister Elias El-Murr. Hamadeh and Murr were victims of failed assassination attempts in Lebanon on October 1 2004 and July 12, 2005 respectively. Hawi was killed in the attack that targeted his vehicle on June 21, 2005. In reaching this decision, Trial Chamber II took into account oral and written submissions from the STL Prosecutor, Registrar and the Head of the Defense Office. It also examined numerous documents from the Lebanese authorities, which detail the steps they have taken to apprehend the Accused and inform Ayyash about the proceedings initiated against him, said the STL in a statement on Thursday. These efforts included multiple attempts by the Lebanese authorities to find the Accused at his last known residences, as well as other locations. Trial Chamber II also took into consideration the fact that the indictment and the identity of the accused received intense media coverage in Lebanon. In addition, Trial Chamber II considered it relevant that the Lebanese authorities have unsuccessfully been searching for him since 2011 in connection to his indictment for the attack of February 14, 2005 against former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others. Trial Chamber II concluded that all reasonable steps have been taken to secure the appearance of the accused and to notify him of the charges against him. It nevertheless emphasized the accused’s right to a retrial should he appear before the Tribunal in the future. While the STL is the only international tribunal that can prosecute accused in their absence, it is a measure of last resort meant to ensure that those who flee from justice, cannot be found, have not been handed over, or have waived their right to be present, do not delay the course of justice. With this decision, the case Prosecutor vs. Ayyash proceeds to the Pre-Trial Phase.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2119736/lebanon-tribunal-says-ayyash-case-proceed-absentia