Contempt Judge of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Nicola Lettieri Thursday ordered the trial against a Lebanese journalist and her media organisation to start on April 16, 2015 onwards.
The Defence shall present its case, if any, from May 12, 2015, according to a press release from the STL, based in Leidschendam outside the Hague. Ms. Karma Mohamed Al Khayat and Al Jadeed TV are charged with two counts of contempt and obstruction of justice. The initial appearances of the accused were held on 13 May 2014. Both the accused entered a plea of not guilty.
Khayat is the deputy news director of Al-Jadeed TV. They have been charged for contempt by the STL for publishing information on confidential witnesses in the case of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
The STL has indicted five Hizbullah members for involvement in the February 2005 assassination of Hariri in Beirut.