STL issues new tentative date for start of trial in Hariri's assassination

 
The Pre-Trial Judge at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Daniel Fransen issued on Friday an order setting 13th of January, 2014 as a new tentative date for the start of the trial in the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

The rules of the Tribunal require the Pre-Trial Judge, Daniel Fransen, to set a tentative date for the trial, which could change based on judicial developments.

The next phase requires the Pre-Trial Judge to refer the case to the Trial Chamber judges, who will set the final date for the trial.

Earlier this year, the Pre-Trial Judge postponed the tentative trial date concluding that the parties were not ready for trial due to several reasons including lack of adequate time for disclosure of material to the defense counsel.

He mentioned in his decision that most of these issues have since been addressed and a new provisional date for the trial can now be set.

On 14th of February 2005, Rafic Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, was killed, along with 21 others, when explosives were detonated as his motorcade drove near the St. George Hotel in Beirut.