STL to Name Investigator to Probe Publication of Alleged Witness Identities

The U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced Monday it will appoint a special investigator to probe “three incidents which could potentially be considered interference with the administration of justice through publication of alleged witness identities.”

STL President Judge David Baragwanath, acting as the Contempt Judge for the month of April, took the decision on Monday to have an amicus curiae (friend of the court) appointed by the Registrar, with the Judge’s approval, to further investigate these three incidents.

The court said these incidents have been deemed confidential by the judge for the time being. The scope and timeline of the investigation will be decided at a later date.

The decision follows a hearing on Thursday, held partly in closed session, where Baragwanath and the participants discussed whether proceedings should be initiated and, if so, the scope of any investigation in the matter.

“To preserve the integrity of this investigation, Judge Baragwanath has ordered that these proceedings remain confidential until further notice,” STL said in its press release.

On April 11, the STL condemned “in the strongest possible terms” what it called “the latest attempt to interfere with the proper administration of justice by publishing a list of alleged witnesses and potentially endangering the lives of Lebanese citizens.”

The website of al-Mustaqbal newspaper, which is owned by slain ex-premier Rafik Hariri's family, has been recently hacked and its front page was replaced with the alleged names of the “secret witnesses in the STL” by a group calling itself “Journalists for the Truth.” The list can also be found on the group's website.

“Any attempt to knowingly and willfully interfere with the judicial process, including disclosure of confidential material or threatening, intimidating, or otherwise interfering with potential witnesses, is taken very seriously by the four organs of the Tribunal,” the STL warned.

It confirmed that it had requested the assistance of “Lebanese authorities and others in this matter so that appropriate measures may be taken if necessary.”