Prosecutor Daniel A. Bellemare visits Beirut

Leidschendam, 1 December 2009: The Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Daniel A. Bellemare, will arrive today in Beirut for a seven-day official visit.

The main objectives of Prosecutor Bellemare’s visit are:

- In the aftermath of the formation of the new government, to make courtesy calls on Lebanese senior State and Government officials and review with them the continuation of the cooperation extended to the STL by the Lebanese authorities.

- To thank the Lebanese authorities for the valuable assistance and support provided so far to facilitate the work of the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), in general, and the Beirut Field Office, in particular.

- To hold working sessions with the OTP staff and particularly the Deputy Prosecutor who are based in the Tribunal's field office in Beirut to discuss OTP’s activities.

The visit is the first visit undertaken by Prosecutor Bellemare to Beirut since he left Lebanon at the end of the mandate of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission on 28 February 2009 to assume his functions as Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on 1 March 2009.

Expanding on the reasons for his visit, Prosecutor Bellemare stated: “I intend to visit Beirut as frequently as possible to meet with our Lebanese partners and also with the staff deployed in Beirut.” The Prosecutor stressed that “the Tribunal is about Lebanon and the justice it is pursuing is for all the Lebanese. It is important therefore to show the Lebanese people, particularly the victims, all the victims, that although we are operating from a remote location, we have not forgotten about them and that we are still pursuing the truth on their behalf. Our task has been and continues to be complex and difficult, but our commitment and resolve to fulfill our mandate have not diminished, and if anything, have increased. ”

For further information, please contact Ms. Radhia Achouri, Senior Communications Advisor/Spokesperson, Office of the Prosecutor.

Office: +31 (0) 70 800 3438, Mobile: +31 (0) 65 088 9203, Email: achouri@un.org