STL Adjourns in Absentia Trial Sessions to May
The Trial Chamber at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has “ordered the adjournment of the trial sessions until at least early to mid-May to allow Defense counsel for Hassan Habib Merhi adequate time to prepare for trial and to conduct their own investigations,” the STL said on Wednesday.
The chamber issued its written decision on Tuesday following the oral ruling of February 11 on the joinder of the Merhi case to the Ayyash et al. case.
“In the meantime, the Trial Chamber will hold regular meetings and Status Conferences with the parties to ensure an expeditious process,” the tribunal said in a statement.
“Yesterday's decision elaborates on the oral order taken by the Trial Chamber on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 to join the two cases,” it noted.
The Trial Chamber concluded that joining the two proceedings – Ayyash and Merhi -- “would better protect the rights of all five Accused to a fair and expeditious trial, provided that certain measures were taken,” the decision stated.
“Joinder was therefore ordered on the basis that the Trial Chamber would take – and will continue to take, as necessary – all the measures required to ensure a fair trial for all five Accused,” it added.
The five Accused – Hizbullah members Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Assad Sabra and Hussein Oneissi -- are indicted for their alleged role in the February 14, 2005 bomb attack that killed former premier Rafik Hariri and 22 other people.
STL Spokesperson Marten Youssef will hold a briefing in Beirut on Thursday to address questions from the media on this matter, the STL said.
During the February 12 session, the defense team objected againt several logistical procedures adopted by the Trial Chamber, refusing the fragmentation of trials.
“We oppose the fragmentation of trials and conduct ethics oblige us to acquaint ourselves with all the aspects of the case,” Merhi' defense lawyer Mohamed Aouini said.
“We must be able to cross-examine the witnesses and we can't just attend for the sake of attendance,” he stressed.
Aouini then requested to have “a certain reasonable period to look into all the files of the case.”
Meanwhile, STL Prosecutor Norman Farrell said that Merhi's defense team may need six to seven months to prepare their files on the case
Merhi's defense, however, said that they cannot determine the time they need to prepare their case.
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