ICC - ICC Deputy Prosecutor (Investigations) Serge Brammertz to head the UNIIIC in Lebanon
Press Release
ICC Deputy Prosecutor (Investigations) Serge Brammertz to head the UNIIIC in Lebanon
ICC-OTP-20060111-120
Today, 11 January 2006, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Kofi Annan in a letter to the President of the Security Council informed the Council of his intention to appoint Mr. Serge Brammertz, Deputy Prosecutor (Investigations) of the International Criminal Court, as Commissioner of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Mr. Brammertz succeeds Mr. Detlev Mehlis and is expected to formally take over from Mr. Mehlis on 16 January 2006.
The United Nations Security Council in December 2005 decided to extend the Commission’s mandate for an additional six months.
Having informed the President of the Court and following consultations with the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, Chief Prosecutor of the ICC Luis Moreno-Ocampo has decided to grant Mr. Brammertz a six month leave of absence from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, as a contribution to the search for truth and accountability in a matter of grave concern to the international community.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor is currently making significant progress in the investigations relating to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Uganda and Darfur. To ensure the unhampered continuation of the investigations during the absence of Mr. Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo will be Officer in Charge of the Investigation division with Michel de Smedt, head of the Investigations, Planning and Support Section of the Investigation Division, leading the operational work. Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions) Fatou Bensouda will assume the representational responsibilities of Mr. Brammertz.
For further information, please contact the OTP Public Information Adviser Christian Palme, on +31 (0)70 515 84 87.