UNLIBANON

Leidschendam, 29 October 2010 - Judge Antonio Cassese, President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, addressed today in separate letters, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon and the Lebanese Prime Minister Mr. Saad Harriri. In the letters, President Cassese conveyed the Tribunal’s great concern about the incident which took place in Beirut on 27 October and resulted in the injury of STL staff and the unlawful removal of STL property.

The President reassured both the UN Secretary General and the Lebanese Prime Minister that “this most regrettable incident will not be allowed to jeopardize the work of the Tribunal in discharging its truth-seeking mission for the Lebanese people and the international community.” The President also firmly underscored “that the Tribunal continues to act independently in accordance with its legal framework”.

President Cassese further stated that both he and the Tribunal’s staff greatly appreciate the strong commitment of Lebanon to cooperation with the Special Tribunal and the UN Secretary General’s calls for all parties to refrain from interfering in the Tribunal’s work.

The President concluded by saying that “it is our firm intention not to bow to any act of interference and intimidation in carrying out our mandate in an independent and fair manner”.

Leidschendam, Today 1 March 2010, pursuant to Article 10(2) of the Statute, the President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Antonio Cassese submitted the first Tribunal's Annual Report to the UN Secretary-General and the Government of Lebanon. The Annual Report aims to illustrate the steps taken, the achievements made a well as the hurdles encountered during the STL's first year (March 2009-February 2010). Subject to the consent of the Secretary-General and the Government of Lebanon, the Annual Report will be made public in due course.

For further information, please contact Press Officer / Spokesperson Ms. Fatima El-Issawi:

In accepting this appointment, Mr. von Hebel stated, "I am honoured that the Secretary-General has entrusted me with the management of the STL Registry. I will follow in the steps of my predecessor, Mr. David Tolbert, in ensuring that all the Organs of the tribunal are provided with the support they require to fulfill the organization’s important mandate."

Mr. von Hebel has been Deputy Registrar at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon since 2009. He previously served as Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the Special Court of Sierra Leone. Before joining the Special Court, he served as Legal Advisor to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1991-2000) and as Senior Legal Officer in the Chambers of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (2001-2006).

For further information, please contact Press Officer / Spokesperson Ms. Fatima El-Issawi:

Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon has appointed Mr. David Tolbert of the United States of America as the Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.  He will commence his duties on 26 August 2009.

Mr. Tolbert is the second Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, succeeding Mr. Robin Vincent. The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Vincent’s assistance to the United Nations in the establishment and commencement of functioning of the Special Tribunal.

Mr. Tolbert will bring with him a wealth of experience in the work of international criminal tribunals. At the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), he served in senior capacities in all three organs of the institution, in the Office of the Prosecutor as Deputy Chief Prosecutor from 2004 to 2008, in the Registry, among other positions, as the Deputy Registrar from 2003 to 2004, and in Chambers as the Chef de Cabinet to the President from 1998 to 1999. Mr. Tolbert also served as the Special Expert to the Secretary-General on the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials (UNAKRT).

Born in 1956, Mr. Tolbert holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.), in International Law from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom; a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of North Carolina, USA; and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), from Furman University, South Carolina, USA. Mr. Tolbert has published extensively in the field of international criminal law. He is married.

S/2009/106