Hariri Investigation: The Truth Jeopardized? Arbitrary detentions, "alarming" disappearances and "suspicious" deaths Beirut, February 24, 2009 1 Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) Centre Mar Youssef, 12ème étage, Dora, Beyrouth, Liban. Tel : 00 961 1 24 00 23 e-mail:
[email protected] Web : www.solida.org - Registration Number : 218/2008 Summary Introduction I. Four years of investigation Fact-finding mission – Peter Fitzgerald Establishment of an International Independent Investigation Commission The « Mehlis » phase: the Syrian track The « Brammertz » years: a cautious and opaque approach The « Bellemare » phase: the silence of the future Prosecutor II. The detainees in « Hariri case » Arrests and Reasons given by the authorities to justify detention Disparities in the treatment of witnesses and suspects Why are the detentions arbitrary? Detentions in an illegal prison III. « Alarming » disappearances Ahmad Abu Adass « Alarming disappearances » on the heels of Abou Adass: What happened to Ziad Ramadan and Khaled Taha? IV. Suspicious Deaths Death of Tayssir Abou Adass, father of Ahmad Abou Adass Nawar Donna Annexe 1. Letter of the UNIIIC to the Lawyer Issam Karam, 14 September 2007. Annexe 2. Letter of the UNIIIC to the Lawyer Issam Karam, 9 July 2007. 2 Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) Centre Mar Youssef, 12ème étage, Dora, Beyrouth, Liban. Tel : 00 961 1 24 00 23 e-mail:
[email protected] Web : www.solida.org - Registration Number : 218/2008 Introduction This report is written at a time when the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is about to commence its work and hopefully shed some light on the truth in this case. To establish the truth, the need of the hour is a completely independent and impartial justice system that respects the due legal procedures in respect of both the accused and the victims...