Lebanon Receives Request from International Tribunal to Relinquish Authority in Hariri Case
Lebanon has received a request to relinquish authority in the murder case of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, it was reported on Wednesday.
Local media said the request was made by Belgian pre-trial magistrate Daniel Fransen in a letter sent on Monday to Lebanon”s ambassador to the Netherlands Zaidan Assaghir.
They said Fransen has asked the Lebanese judiciary to hand over to the tribunal”s General Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare all documents and reports relating to the case.
The request also calls on Lebanese authorities to hand over the list of detainees in connection with the 2005 assassination of Hariri.
Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar, however, told the daily An Nahar that he has not officially received the request.
Najjar explained that in light of the court”s request the international tribunal will have "exclusive jurisdiction" over the detainees, including the four generals held since 2005 in connection with Hariri”s murder.
Lebanon faces a 14-day deadline to meet the demands after official receipt of the request.