Registrar of Special Tribunal for Lebanon Begins Duty

First official of UN-backed tribunal on Lebanese killings starts work

29 April 2008 – The first official of the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon to take up his functions, the registrar Robin Vincent, began his duties yesterday as the court continues to make progress in its start-up phase.

In a statement issued today by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that Mr. Vincent will work closely with the Special Tribunal’s management committee and with the UN Secretariat to take the necessary steps to formally establish the court, in line with Security Council resolution 1757 from last year.

“He will initially concentrate his activities on preparing the premises of the Tribunal, coordinating the transition between the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) and the Tribunal, recruiting core staff, and finalizing the Tribunal’s budget,” the statement added.

The Council asked Mr. Ban last year to set up the court after Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora informed the 15-member body that all domestic options had been exhausted, due to the country’s ongoing political crisis.

The Special Tribunal is designed to try those accused of recent political murders in Lebanon, particularly the February 2005 assassination of the former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut that killed 22 others.

Last month, in a report to the Council, Mr. Ban said the selection of the judges and the prosecutor has also been completed and a draft budget will be submitted soon to the management committee of the Tribunal.

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29 April 2008

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

Robin Vincent yesterday commenced his duties as Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He was appointed by the Secretary-General on 10 March 2008 and is the first official of the Special Tribunal to take up his functions.

Mr. Vincent will work in close consultation with the Special Tribunal’s Management Committee and the United Nations Secretariat to take the steps necessary for the Tribunal to be established in a timely manner, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1757 (2007). He will initially concentrate his activities on preparing the premises of the Tribunal, coordinating the transition between the International Independent Investigative Commission and the Tribunal, recruiting core staff, and finalizing the Tribunal’s budget.


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Related materials on Special Tribunal for Lebanon:

- Special Tribunal for Lebanon Is Ready ― UN Report

- Statute of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon

- Registrar of Special Tribunal for Lebanon Is Appointed, Tribunal Is Ready

- 'Management Committee' of Special Tribunal for Lebanon Is Set Up

- Special Tribunal for Lebanon Gets Base, Judges

- The International Tribunal for Lebanon (Resolution 1757)

- UN Report on the Establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon

- Ninth report of Hariri International Investigation Commission

- Memo for International Tribunal for Lebanon

- Special Tribunal for Lebanon Comes Into Force



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