According to a United Nations press release, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Judge Theodor Meron of the United States as President of the International Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the body that will carry out the residual functions of the UN war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Judge Meron will continue to serve as a judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), while working as the President of the Mechanism. Mr. Ban also welcomed the Security Council's decision to appoint Serge Brammertz of Belgium as Prosecutor of the Mechanism. Mr. Brammertz will continue serving simultaneously as ICTY Prosecutor. Both appointments are effective March 1st.
The Mechanism – which has two branches, one in Arusha, Tanzania and the other in The Hague, Netherlands – was established by Security Council resolution 1966 (2010) of 22 December 2010 to carry out the residual functions of the main tribunals after they wrap up their respective work. The ICTR, set up 21 years ago to judge those guilty for the genocide in Rwanda formally closed on 31 December 2015.
(cgb)