A further nine people have been granted victim status by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

A further nine people have been granted victim status by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, in which 22 others were also killed, The local Daily Star newspaper reported.

Pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen Tuesday granted nine additional people victim status, in addition to the existing 58 whose status was recognized in May.

“The decision to increase the number of participating victims is a timely reminder that, whatever motives lay behind the detonation ... there remains a substantial body of people across the political and religious divide for whom the event was life-changing,” said Peter Haynes, lead legal representative for victims.

“For them, the Tribunal’s work in discovering the truth behind their loss is a vital belief to cling to.”