The United Nations spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was tasked with prosecuting those responsible for the attack that took place in downtown Beirut on February 14, 2005, was closed yesterday, Sunday, December 31, 2023.

A statement attributed to the UN spokesperson, according to the United Nations Information Center, said that the UN Secretary-General expressed his sympathy to the victims of the February 14, 2005 attack and related attacks, and their families.

It is noted that the Special Tribunal was established following the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1757 in 2007 to prosecute those responsible for the attack that took place in downtown Beirut and led to the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, among 22 other people, and the injury of 226 others. The jurisdiction of the Special Tribunal was also extended to include other attacks that were judicially identified as "linked" to the February 14, 2005 attack.

Over the years, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon held trials in absentia and found that 3 members of the armed Hezbollah group were guilty in connection with Hariri's death in the truck bombing on February 14, 2005.

The tribunal, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, issued life sentences to the three: Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi, and Hussein Hassan Oneissi.

Hezbollah officials have repeatedly denied that any members of the group were involved in the suicide attack and refused to cooperate with the tribunal. The bombing resulted in the death of Hariri and 21 others, and injury to 226.

The trial judges said there was no evidence of Hezbollah leadership or Syria’s involvement in the attack, but they noted that the assassination occurred while Hariri and his political allies were discussing whether to demand Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon.

The UN Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for the dedication of the judges and staff at the Special Tribunal and their hard work over the years, as well as for the support provided by the Government of Lebanon, the Government of the Netherlands as the host country, and the donor member states, including those who participated in the management committee of the Special Tribunal.