Mehlis report

The Mehlis Report is the result of the United Nations’ investigation into the 14 February 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. This report was preceded by, and should not be confused with, the UN’s FitzGerald Report.

About Mehlis report in brief

Summary Mehlis reportThe Mehlis Report is the result of the United Nations’ investigation into the 14 February 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. This report was preceded by, and should not be confused with, the UN’s FitzGerald Report. The report based its findings on key witnesses and on a variety of evidence including patterns of telephone calls between specific prepaid phone cards that connected prominent Lebanese and Syrian officials to events surrounding the crime. In December 2005, the case against Syria came under scrutiny when a main witness publicly identified and dramatically recanted his testimony, claiming he had been bribed and tortured by Lebanese interests to testify against Syria.

Some suggest that the document indicates the report was altered to remove these names during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, despite the fact that he had personally stated that this would not happen. The motivation for removing the names is not known.