Hariri hopeful Assad will stand trial for crimes against his people

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday Syrian people should be hopeful that President Bashar Assad will be tried in an international court for the crimes he has committed against them.

“As we tweet the ICC [International Criminal Court] is giving its verdict against former Liberian President Charles Taylor on charges of crimes against humanity,” Hariri said on his Twitter feed.

“It is also a day of hope for Syrian people that one day Bashar Assad will be held accountable for his crimes against his own people,” he added.

Hariri also said that Taylor’s trial marked the first time that a head of state faces a tribunal, saying: “It is a great hope for all awaiting the STL [Special Tribunal for Lebanon] verdict.”

The Special Court for Sierra Leone convicted Thursday the former Liberian president for war crimes and arming Sierra Leone’s rebels during the 1991-2001 civil war.

Hariri also reiterated his opposition to discuss a proposal to transform Lebanon’s electoral system from a winner-takes-all to a proportional representation while Hezbollah remained armed. “No discussion of proportional representation while the arms' intimidation prevents candidates in their [Hezbollah's] areas of dominance,” he said.

Hariri added that the living conditions of Lebanese have greatly deteriorated in the past year and the “[2013] elections will surely change that.”

The son of late PM Rafic Hariri also touched on the seventh anniversary of the withdrawal Syrian troops from Lebanon. “We remember Rafik Hariri and all who gave their lives for our freedom,” Hariri said.

Asked whether he would resume holding online sessions on the micro-blogging site, Saad Hariri said: “Yes I do intend to be actively tweeting again, God willing.”