BEIRUT: The Special Tribunal for Lebanon handed down a historic decision Wednesday to try in absentia the four men indicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, marking the first time in over 50 years that an international court will go to trial without the defendants in custody.

The court made its decision after examining documents detailing Lebanese authorities’ efforts to apprehend the accused.

“The Trial Chamber concluded that all reasonable steps have been taken to secure the appearance of the accused and notify them of the charges against them,” said a court statement.

The four members of Hezbollah who were indicted last summer – Salim Jamil Ayyash, Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Hussein Hasan Oneissi and Assad Hasan Sabra – remain at large.

The court will set a tentative trial date, taking into consideration the time the defense counsel will need to review information from the prosecution and conduct investigations, a minimum of four months.

Speaking to The Daily Star following the decision, STL spokesman Marten Youssef emphasized that moving to in-absentia proceedings was a “measure of last resort.”

“There are multiple measures to ensure that the accused receive a fair trial, even if they don’t participate in the proceedings,” he added. – The Daily Star