On 1 March 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will formally convene for the first time in The Hague. This briefing describes the background to the establishment of the Special Tribunal and its mandate and procedures, taking into account other international tribunals and tribunals with a mixed national and international dimension. It briefly describes the legacy of grave human rights abuses in Lebanon that has still to be addressed, as well as recent violations of human rights and deficiencies in the justice system.
