NNA - The Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”) unanimously sentenced Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi to life imprisonment in the case of Prosecutor v. Merhi and Oneissi (STL-11-01).

In a Sentencing Judgment issued today, the Appeals Chamber unanimously found that the crimes of which Messrs Merhi and Oneissi were convicted were extremely grave and that certain aggravating circumstances pleaded by the Prosecution had been established beyond reasonable doubt. In light of the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, the Appeals Chamber unanimously sentenced Messrs Merhi and Oneissi to life imprisonment, the heaviest sentence under the Statute and Rules, for each of the five crimes of which they were convicted and ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently.

The case originates from an explosion that occurred on Monday, 14 February 2005 in Beirut, near the St Georges Hotel, killing the former Lebanese Prime Minister Mr Rafik Hariri and 21 others and injuring at least another 226 people. On 10 March 2022, the Appeals Chamber unanimously convicted Messrs Merhi and Oneissi of being co-perpetrators of the crime of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act (Count 1) and of being accomplices to a terrorist act (Count 6), intentional homicide (Counts 7 and 8), and attempted intentional homicide (Count 9) in relation to the 14 February 2005 attack. Following the Appeal Judgment, the Appeals Chamber received submissions and observations on sentencing from the Prosecution, the Legal Representative of Victims, Counsel for Mr Merhi, and Counsel for Mr Oneissi.

The Appeals Chamber issued its Sentencing Judgment in the absence of Messrs Merhi and Oneissi. Pursuant to Rule 109 (E), an accused who appears after having been convicted in absentia by the Appeals Chamber has a right to: “(i) accept in writing the conviction or sentence; (ii) request a retrial; (iii) accept in writing the conviction and request a new hearing in respect of his sentence; or (iv) accept the Trial Chamber’s judgment of acquittal and request a new hearing on appeal”. A summary of the Judgment can be found here.

The Sentencing Judgment concludes the proceedings in the case of Prosecutor v. Merhi and Oneissi (STL-11-01). -- Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)

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