STL Prosecution, Defense Given Deadline to File Written Submissions on ‘Criminal Association’

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecution and Defense counsel have been asked to file written submissions to the Appeals Chamber on the crime of "criminal association" (under Article 335 of the Lebanese Criminal Code), announced the STL in a statement on Thursday.

The parties have until March 15 to submit their arguments to the Appeals Chamber along with arguments on whether an oral hearing should take place, it explained.

The Defense Office has also been invited to comment on how this matter may affect the rights of the accused, it said.

The Prosecution asked in February for the addition of the count of "criminal association" to the indictment.

Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen is reviewing the Prosecution’s filing and has requested the Appeals Chamber to define the crime of “criminal association”, added the STL statement.