The former President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Judge Antonio Cassese, has died after a long fight with cancer. He passed away peacefully at home in Florence on Saturday 22 October 2011. He was 74.
Judge Cassese was one of the most distinguished figures in international justice. 
He was the first President of both the STL and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Judge Cassese also had a long career in academia.
Judge Cassese was professor of international law at the University of Florence from 1975 until 2008. Between 1987 and 1993 he was professor of law at the European University Institute. Judge Cassese was also a visiting fellow at All Souls College, Oxford University (1979-80). He was a member of the Institut de Droit International and former president of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
An enthusiastic proponent of self-determination and human rights throughout his whole life, Judge Cassese wrote extensively on all aspects of international law, with a particular focus on international criminal law. He was the recipient of many honorary degrees and awards. Read the full press release about the death of Judge Cassese
Reactions from international leaders
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Judge Cassese "a giant of international law" and a loyal friend to the United Nations.
- The Italian president Giorgio Napolitano described him as a "master of legal culture".
- The Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini spoke of him as "an enlightened mind, a courageous man, and a valuable beacon".
- Alistair Burt, British Foreign Office Minister called him "a model to us all with his commitment to combating impunity".
- Read reactions from international leaders.
Reactions from the STL and the legal community
- Judge Sir David Baragwanath, President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, said "the tragedy of Nino’s departure is beyond words".
- Judge Ralph Riachi, the Vice-President of the Tribunal, said "international justice has lost one of its pioneers".
- "His intellectual rigour and humility are a combination that set him apart – as a leader and a visionary," said the Prosecutor, Daniel A. Bellemare.
- Francois Roux, Head of the Defence Office, described him as "a humanist jurist of exceptional quality and competence".
- "It was his life-long dedication to justice and human rights, combined with personal modesty that makes him stand out uniquely in international legal and justice circles," said Herman von Hebel, Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
- Judge Patrick Robinson, President of the ICTY, said he "made a profound impact on the way crimes committed in modern conflicts are prosecuted."
- Judge Jon M Kamanda, President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, said "other tribunals will also build on Judge Cassese's legacy."
- Judge Sang-Hyun Song, ICC President, said "all of us who work in the field of international criminal law shall remain greatly indebted to him."