Secretary-General, Condemning Intimidation of Lebanon Tribunal Investigators,

 

Calls on All Parties to Refrain from Interfering in Its Work

 

The following statement was issued on 28 October by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by recent statements and events related to the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.  He condemns the incident on Wednesday, 27 October, involving a team of investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office.  Such acts of interference and intimidation are unacceptable.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is an independent court of law established at the request of the Government of Lebanon, with a clear mandate from the United Nations Security Council.  It is an important tool to uncover the truth and end impunity.  The Secretary-General calls on all parties to refrain from interfering in its work, which proceeds in accordance with the legal principles and standards applied by all international tribunals, and from prejudging its outcome.

The Secretary-General also wishes to stress that it is imperative that the Special Tribunal carry out its work safely and securely.  He commends the Lebanese authorities for their swift action in opening an inquiry into the incident that occurred on 27 October.

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For information media • not an official record