President of the International Tribunal for Lebanon at Beirut Arab University

The Faculty of Law and Political Science at Beirut Arab University hosted the President of the International Tribunal for Lebanon, Judge Ivana Hrdličková, who met with the students in the presence of Faculty Dean Professor Mohammed Kassem, BAU Secretary General Dr. Omar Houri and academic members.

The event started with Judge Ivana saying that “justice all over the world, at the national or international level, is facing many challenges. However, more importantly, in my view, is that the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is a message in itself which means that the crime of terrorism cannot go unpunished." Ivana also noted, "For the establishment of any court, there must be a political will, but after the Special Tribunal for Lebanon had been established, politics no longer had no say as the Court is a judicial body that performs its job independently.”

“The Special Tribunal for Lebanon was the first court since the Nuremberg trial, which allowed trials to be held in absentia. The international legal community was reluctant to conduct such trials to ensure the rights of the accused before the court. However, the role of international criminal justice not only punishes the perpetrators of crimes, but also plays an important role in bringing justice to those affected," Evana added. “The trial starts with the prosecutor presenting evidence, followed by evidence presented by the defense authority. Then, the judges make their decision on the basis of all evidence presented. This evidence is very difficult, and this Court leads the way in many respects as it is the first time evidence of communications of such complexity and size is presented before an international court.” The meeting ended with open discussion between the judge and the audience.