Amin Withdraws from STL Contempt Case Initial Appearance in Protest against Proceedings
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Al-Akhbar daily editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin withdrew on Thursday from the initial appearance in the contempt case filed against him by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Amin withdrew from the session, before which he appeared via video-link from Lebanon, when STL Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri interrupted him as he was reading a statement on his position from the STL.
The journalist, who chose to represent himself, criticized Lettieri for cutting him off, saying that it is a sign of the “oppression” practiced by the tribunal.
He consequently announced that he will remain silent for the remainder of the proceedings.
Lettieri said he will interpret Amin's stance as a plea of not guilty.
The journalist then interjected by requesting if he could be allowed to withdraw from the session to which the judge responded that he is a "free man".
Amin then withdrew from the session.
The initial appearance had kicked off at the Hague on Thursday afternoon.
Amin repeated before the STL that he does not recognize it, saying that he cannot trust a U.N. Security Council that disregards the injustice taking place in Palestine.
He added that he felt that he was forced against his will to appear before the STL.
“The STL is part of a political plot that is conspiring against Lebanese forces that are combating U.S.-Israeli schemes in Lebanon,” added the journalist.
He mentioned how the Security Council had neglected to tackle the “crimes against humanity committed by Israel during the July 2006 war and the various car bombings that have taken place in Lebanon in 2013.”
Lettieri then interjected to refute his claims that he was brought before the court against his will.
He explained that he could have relinquished his right to appear before the trial and he would have been tried in absentia.
In addition, Lettieri informed Amin that he brought up issues that do not fall in the STL's jurisdiction.
“It is useless to talk about topics that do not fall within our jurisdiction. This is a tribunal, not a talk show,” he told him, which prompted Amin's decision to remain silent and consequently withdraw.
After a ten-minute break for deliberations, the session resumed with Lettieri ordering that a defense lawyer be appointed to Amin.
He requested that the STL Defense Office assign a lawyer to represent the journalist.
On Monday, Amin had requested, via a letter, that the May 29 hearing be “postponed by a serious, sufficient period of time to carry out what is required” of him.
Lettieri had rejected the request, saying that “there is no reason to once again postpone Mr. Amin's and Akhbar Beirut S.A.L.'s appearances.”
“All the matters that Mr. Amin is concerned about can and will be raised before me, but at a public hearing. To hear Mr. Amin requires his participation in the initial appearance as a first step,” Lettieri clarified.
Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and Amin are charged with “knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice by publishing information on purported confidential witnesses in the Ayyash et al. Case.”
New TV S.A.L. and deputy head of news at al-Jadeed television Karma Tahsin al-Khayat have been also accused of the same charges.
An initial hearing for the two journalists and their media organizations was held on May 13 at the STL headquarters in The Hague.
Al-Jadeed Director General Dmitry Khodr and Khayat entered pleas of not guilty.
Amin did not attend the session.
In April last year, a list of 167 names of so-called witnesses for the former Premier Rafik Hariri trial was published by a previously unknown group identified as "Journalists for the Truth."
The group said it wanted to "unveil the corruption" of the STL.
Both al-Akhbar and al-Jadeed published the list.
M.T.
Y.R.
29 May 2014, 17:03
415
He mentioned how the Security Council had neglected to tackle the “crimes against humanity committed by Israel during the July 2006 war and the various car bombings that have taken place in Lebanon in 2013.”
LOL of course... the STL is not there for this. you need another court for that but of course hezbis would do anything to play the victims! LOL
29 May 2014, 17:20
513
Reminds me of Goebells speech at Nuremberg Tribunal:
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goeb41.htm
29 May 2014, 19:05
143
nobody cares about you and your zionist propaganda. making people feel guilty by constantly reminding them about WWII might work in europe, but here nobody gives a bull.
we dont need to look so far to see mass crimes and ethnic cleansing, we see it in Palestine.
29 May 2014, 19:13
311
only in Palestine that you and your terror party love so much? What about ethnic cleansing your terrorist militia is carrying out in Syria... Oh, that does not count.
29 May 2014, 20:14
18
Please take the Hizb and all Syrian/Iranian cronies and go fight Israel from Syria...Last i heard, Syria is ripe to setup shop there..
29 May 2014, 17:32
511
Another mass murderer saying that his trial is a plot:
http://www.africareview.com/News/Charles-Taylor-rails-against-trial/-/979180/1122006/-/784b6sz/-/index.html
29 May 2014, 17:58
10
the STL should summon the countries that are holding satellite imageries against the court
this will save money and get the culprits faster to justice
god bless democracy and JUSTICE
29 May 2014, 18:06
513
Says the no-life, paid propagandist, admirer of Adolf Hitler and Bashar al Assad, who spends 24/7 posting comments on the internet for a living from his parents basement.
29 May 2014, 18:30
413
FT - One can retort that those who believe Al-Akhbar and the Hizb and discount the credibility of some of the world best legal minds has an "IQ equivalent of a dead trisomic mouse born in chernobyl"!
29 May 2014, 22:45
04
FT - The price that we paid for Hezbollah since 2005 is in the tens of billions of dollars. The Hezb actions have stunted economic growth in Lebanon and caused untold losses in investments and Jobs. No wonder that most newly graduates cannot find a job in Lebanon. Was it not for the Gulf countries accepting many of these graduates, the country would have been in a much worse shape.
30 May 2014, 04:32
04
Basic statistics shows that TaqiyaThrower has no life, and his only job is to post propaganda on a non-aligned website.
9to5 pointed it out just two days ago that TaqiyaThrower posted continuously for 11 hours straight on Naharnet. And that's only on Naharnet!!
Go get a life you pathetic loser
29 May 2014, 18:25
512
Amin requested that he be able to leave the court and that he be allowed to return home because he refuses to be subject to such oppression
Lettieri responded that Amin is a free man and he has the right to do as he pleases, to which Amin said that he would like to withdraw from the session.
Amin withdrew from the session.
Yo Lettieri stop oppressing Amin lol, he need to go home write another Ben Laden eulogy about how Ossama combated U.S.-Israeli schemes.
29 May 2014, 18:29
511
FT - One can retort that those who believe Al-Akhbar and the Hizb and discount the credibility of some of the world best legal minds has an "IQ equivalent of a dead trisomic mouse born in chernobyl"!
29 May 2014, 18:33
512
he went there to push his propaganda :)
he is an extremist terrorist supporting iran:
Hang him.
29 May 2014, 19:07
113
i wish that was the penalty for sectarianism, the world would be rid of people like you by now.
29 May 2014, 18:56
410
2 hours ago Lettieri told Amin that he brought up issues that do not fall in the STL's jurisdiction: It is useless to talk about topics that do not fall within our jurisdiction. This is a tribunal, not a talk show.
Amin got his few moments of fame and spewed his sectarian propaganda before the judge shut him up. THIS IS A TRIBUNAL, NOT A TALK SHOW!
29 May 2014, 19:09
133
he was talking about the UN's partiality and bias, the UN that created the STL. it's not within their jurisdiction, but it's entirely relevant. they censored him because they cannot afford to let people speak the truth.
after all, the whole trial is about silencing journalists
29 May 2014, 19:00
411
all free speech supporters and honorable Lebanese are with you!
except this guy. if your free speech is not his kind of free speech he'll want you dead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQl402Eaeco
29 May 2014, 19:03
173
“The STL is part of a political plot that is conspiring against Lebanese forces that are combating U.S.-Israeli schemes in Lebanon,” added the journalist.
100% and the STL censoring his statement is the clearest admission of that yet. they do not want to hear the truth, they are here on an agenda. no self-respecting lebanese should take any part in that joke of a tribunal, set by world powers like a boss over our heads.
down with that zionist farce.
29 May 2014, 21:02
17
Deary deary me they did't let little Bibo "Elliot Rodger" Al Amine read his manifesto in full so he stormed out. Hopefully he doesn't go on a killing rampage like most people with manifestos do. Scary when you think that the guy already has a long list, published in Al Akhbar, of Shiite journalists who don't support the "Resistance" and who he said are traitors who should "feel their throats", they shouldn't have free speech simply because they don't agree with Bibo and his truth.
29 May 2014, 21:46
16
don't worry tex, southern is used to make a fool of himself... it is the trademark of hezbi sheep...
29 May 2014, 22:33
05
Southern Moukhabarat,
I know your propaganda job gets tiring sometimes but look am going to help you. This way you can write a report to your employer the Islamo Fascists or Bashar Worshipers saying that I converted Machia to our cause. You might get this much desired bonus of going to tour Qom for a week.
29 May 2014, 22:33
05
the STL did not dig anything... just you here to think amin made a smart move but he just made a fool of himself in front of the STL ...
the STL will not disappear because southern and M8er want it to! we are not in syria to dictate your conditions LOL!
so assume now like a real man and stop crying...
30 May 2014, 03:48
07
Let me try re-stating what Al-Amin meant to say (which is also what Southern has on his mind):
The STL is part of a judicial court that is intent on bringing to justice the pro-Iran/Alawite forces that are combating the rise of the Lebanese state by assassinating any leader (such as Harriri) who dares to take such a step.". It can't be clearer.
30 May 2014, 09:27
02
hahaha no that's another ibrahim el amin (Hizbullah official). He's much older now than the journalist.
