Coming days will reveal transfer directions of four general
Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar on Wednesday said the “coming few days” would reveal whether the four general detained in connection with the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others would be transferred to The Hague.
Should they be transferred to the Special Tribunal headquarters in the Netherlands, the minister said in a radio interview, tribunal prosecutor must issue a request to the Lebanese government by April 30, 2009.
“There is no need for the suspects to be transferred to The Hague in person,” Najjar told the Voice of Lebanon radio station. “The pre-trial judge can hear their testimonies via video conference.”
Najjar said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon alone had the authority to announce the name of the Lebanese judges who are participating in the Special Tribunal.
The minister said he expected Ban may announce the names once necessary security measures were taken.
On Tuesday, the UN secretary general announced General Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare and the Registrar Robert Vincent had been sworn in.
Ban also issued a statement announcing the appointment of French François Roux, in consultation with the UN president, as head of the defense office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Roux has subsequently been sworn in.
“The judges chosen for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon succeeded in adopting a unique rule of procedures as it ensures just rights and gives the judge’s privileged authorities… The court also set a new mechanism for the defense lawyers that differs from the one stated in the Lebanese Code of Criminal Procedure,” Najjar told the radio station.