As Lebanon Special Tribunal Closes, Secretary-General Expresses Appreciation for Dedication of Judges, Staff

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General takes note of the closure of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on 31 December.

The Special Tribunal was established following the adoption of Security Council resolution 1757 (2007) to try those responsible for the 14 February 2005 attack in Beirut that killed 22 people, including former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and injured 226 others. The jurisdiction of the Special Tribunal also extended to other attacks that were judicially determined to be “connected” to the attack of 14 February 2005.

The Special Tribunal held in absentia proceedings and found three individuals, Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi, guilty in relation to the 14 February 2005 attack and sentenced them to five concurrent sentences of life imprisonment.

The Secretary-General’s thoughts continue to be with the victims and their families of the attack of 14 February 2005 and the connected attacks.

The Secretary-General expresses his deep appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the judges and staff at the Special Tribunal throughout the years and for the support provided by the Government of Lebanon, the Government of the Netherlands as the host State, and the Member State donors, including those who participated in the Management Committee of the Special Tribunal.