As journalist Karma Khayat and her TV station al-Jadeed prepare to stand trial on April 16 accused of contempt of court, opinion on the streets of Lebanon appears critical of the judicial process.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, says Khayat and al-Jadeed published sensitive information.
The tribunal in The Hague accused them of "knowingly and wilfully interfering with the administration of justice" over August 2012 broadcasts relating to witnesses in the Hariri case.
The tribunal said evidence suggested that the series of five programs provided 'certain identifying information' about witnesses and purported to reveal details on the type of information given by the confidential witnesses.
Speaking from Beirut on Tuesday (April 14), two days before the trial, the Head of Administrative and Public Relations at Al-Jadeed TV, Ibrahim El-Halabi, told Reuters TV that the STL should be indicting those who made the leaks, not the media outlets that broadcast them.
"The tribunal should have turned to the one who leaked not to the one who published. Because, you know, the duty of media channels is to inform the public about all the updates of subjects that interest them, and it is known that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon interests all Lebanese and Lebanon's public despite the division around it," he said.
There are fears that the trial of Khayat and Al-Jadeed TV could endanger press freedom in Lebanon and beyond, according to the accused and her lawyer.
The tribunal denies that the case impinges on press freedom.
On the streets of Beirut, it appeared that many citizens had doubts over the fairness of the case.
"I think it is very political what is happening right now and there are international interests that are affecting the result of this case. We are with the liberty of the Lebanese, Arab and International media and specifically the Lebanese people are with Al-Jadeed TV and Karma Khayat," said Beirut resident Beshara Ghawi.
"I am surely against the trial of Al-Jadeed (TV) in the international tribunal because we have a (Lebanese) judiciary, and in my opinion I believe the international tribunal is politicized and not eligible to put anyone on trial outside Lebanon," said another resident.
Hariri and 21 other people were killed in Beirut in 2005 in the deadliest of a series of attacks against critics of Syria's military dominance in Lebanon. Huge public protests over the killing pressured Syria into withdrawing troops from Lebanon after a 29-year presence.
The STL is currently trying in absentia five members of Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah who are accused of organizing the killing. Hezbollah denies any role and says the tribunal is a tool of Israel and the United States.
REUTERS