The Fifth International Meetings of the Defence, organised by the Defence Office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) were held, in partnership with the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, with the support of the Bar of Nuremberg, the Bar Association of Nuremberg and the International Criminal Court Bar Association.
 
The Meetings received a message of support from the Minister of Justice of Lebanon, H.E. Salim Jreissati, who in particular welcomed the presence of the President of the Beirut Bar Association, Mr Antonio Al Hachem, who was accompanied by a large delegation from that Bar.
 
The STL was represented by its President, Ms Ivana Hrdličková, and representatives from several of the Registry sections, including Victims’ Participation, Language Services (Interpretation) and Public Information and Communication.
 
As is customary each year, there were roundtable discussions on the latest developments within the international tribunals. Following a fascinating keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Christoph Safferling on the defence at the Nuremberg trials, outstanding presentations were given on the interpretation, the victims and the accused before the international criminal tribunals, as well as on the Nuremberg trials memorial.
 
The Meetings closed with the official presentation, firstly, of the Practical Guide To Defence Investigations, a unique compendium of helpful advice intended for Defence counsel and the members of their teams in the conduct of criminal investigations; and secondly, of the Code of Ethics for Defence Counsel (referred to as the 2017 Nuremberg Code), which harmonises the existing rules and represents a proposal from the profession to the international jurisdictions. A follow-up committee for the Code has been set up which will be responsible for updating it on a continuous basis.
 
Both these documents were compiled by the Working Groups designated by the Meetings of the Defence in 2015, which over the past two years have worked and collaborated with numerous international professional organisations and practitioners of all nationalities and legal cultures.