STL Acquits Khayat, al-Jadeed of All Charges
The Appeals Panel of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Tuesday acquitted al-Jadeed television and its vice chairwoman Karma al-Khayat of all charges of contempt.
The panel issued its judgment with “two separate opinions and one partially dissenting opinion,” the STL said in a statement.
Presided over by STL President Judge Ivana Hrdlièková and consisting of Judge Janet Nosworthy and Judge Walid Akoum, the Appeals Panel reversed Khayat's conviction under Count 2 and set aside a fine of 10,000 Euros imposed on her by the Contempt Judge.
The panel also affirmed Khayat’s acquittal under Count 1 and al-Jadeed’s acquittal under both counts.
This case concerned al-Jadeed's August 2012 broadcast of five episodes regarding purported confidential tribunal witnesses and their online availability “in violation of an order issued by the Pre-trial Judge on August 10, 2012.”
The accused, al-Jadeed and Khayat – at the time al-Jadeed's Deputy Head of News and Political Programs – were each charged with two counts of contempt of court for “knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice by:
1. Broadcasting and/or publishing information on purported confidential witnesses in the Ayyash et al. case, thereby undermining public confidence in the Tribunal’s ability to protect the confidentiality of information about, or provided by, witnesses or potential witnesses (Count 1);
2. Failing to remove from Al Jadeed TV’s website and YouTube channel information on purported confidential witnesses in the Ayyash et al. case, thereby violating the 10 August 2012 Order (Count 2).”
On September 18, Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri issued a judgment acquitting al-Jadeed on both counts while acquitting Khayat on Count 1 and finding her guilty on Count 2.
Consequently, on September 28, the Contempt Judge sentenced Khayat to a fine of 10,000 Euros.
In the proceedings before the Appeals Panel, the Amicus Curiae Prosecutor appealed al-Jadeed’s acquittal on both counts and Khayat’s acquittal on Count 1. In addition, the Defense appealed Khayat’s conviction on Count 2.
The STL has indicted five Hizbullah members for involvement in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination.
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has dismissed the court as a U.S.-Israeli scheme against his group and vowed that the accused will never be found.
Y.R.
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