| Press Release |
TRIBUNAL
|
| (Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document) |
|
The Hague, 19 November 1997
CC/PIO/265-E
President McDonald composes The Chambers.
Judge Shahabuddeen elected Vice-President
Judge Jorda re-elected as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber I
Judge Cassese elected as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber II
On Wednesday 19 November 1997, Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald (United States of America) was chosen by acclamation by the Judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to serve as President for a two-year term.
To serve a two-year term as Vice-President of the ICTY, the Judges chose also by acclamation Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana).
President McDonald then consulted with the Judges in order to compose the Appeals Chamber and the two Trial Chambers. The Judges of each Trial Chamber in turn elected a Presiding Judge:
- Judge Claude Jorda (France) was re-elected as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber I
- Judge Antonio Cassese (Italy) was elected as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber II
President Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, Vice-President Shahabuddeen, Presiding Judge Antonio Cassese and Presiding Judge Claude Jorda will sit together in the Bureau which will be involved in "all major questions relating to the functioning of the Tribunal" (Rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence).
THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE-PRESIDENT
Introducing the nomination of Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald for the position of President, outgoing President Antonio Cassese said that he was "not alone in widely admiring the very able way in which she conducted herself at the proceedings in the Trial Chamber, showing great competence, integrity and impartiality. She demonstrated admirable equanimity and a deep sense of humanity, in particular in dealing with witnesses". Talking on a more personal basis, Judge Antonio Cassese went on saying that "Judge McDonald represents to me the best that America can offer: she is straightforward, direct, intelligent and hard-working. Her manner is soft and gentle, yet she is firm in her convictions. She is principled but she is not jingoistic".
Concerning the nomination of Judge Shahabuddeen for the position of Vice-President, the outgoing President pointed out to the Judges that they would find in Judge Shahabuddeen "a blend of two crucial experiences: participation in very senior governmental affairs, and high-level judicial exposure (...) This legal stature and extraordinary experience make of Judge Shahabuddeen the ideal candidate for the position of Vice-President".
Both nominations were endorsed by acclamation by the Judges.
THE CHAMBERS
In consultation with the Judges, President McDonald assigned the Judges to the Appeals Chamber (five Judges) and to the Trial Chambers (three Judges), in accordance with Article 14 of the Statute of the ICTY:
The Appeals Chamber will consist of :
Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald (United States of America),
Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana),
Judge Lal Chand Vohrah (Malaysia),
Judge Wang Tieya (China),
Judge Rafael Nieto Navia (Colombia).
Under Article 14 of the Statute, the President of the Tribunal, Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald (United States of America) is also the President of the Appeals Chamber.
Trial Chamber I will consist of:
Judge Claude Jorda (France),
Judge Fouad Abdel-Monem Riad (Egypt),
Judge Almiro Simôes Rodrigues (Portugal).
The Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber I is Judge Claude Jorda (France).
Trial Chamber II will consist of:
Judge Antonio Cassese (Italy),
Judge Richard George May (United Kingdom),
Judge Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba (Zambia).
The Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber II is Judge Antonio Cassese (Italy).
THE CASES
In order to be able to deal swiftly with their increased case-load, the Judges have also decided to divide the cases between the Chambers, and to hear cases in different compositions, if needed.
This division is inspired by the wish to maintain the necessary continuity of the Judges hearing on-going cases and the need to make provisions enabling a Chamber to handle more than one case, simultaneously and efficiently.
The division of the cases reads as follows:
The Appeals proceedings in the Tadic case will be held before an Appeals Chamber consisting of Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Presiding, Guyana), Judge Antonio Cassese (Italy), Judge Wang Tieya (China), Judge Rafael Nieto Navia (Colombia), and Judge Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba (Zambia).
The Celebici trial will continue to be held before the Trial Chamber consisting of Judges Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Presiding, Nigeria), Elizabeth Odio Benito (Costa Rica) and Saad Saood Jan (Pakistan).
The Blaskic trial will continue to be heard by Trial Chamber I in its previous composition, consisting of Judge Claude Jorda (Presiding, France), Fouad Abdel-Monem Riad (Egypt) and Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana).
The Aleksovski case will be handled by Trial Chamber I-bis, consisting of Judge Almiro Simôes Rodrigues (Presiding, Portugal), Judge Lal Chand Vohrah (Malaysia) and Judge Rafael Nieto Navia (Colombia).
The Kordic & others case will be heard by Trial Chamber I in its new composition (see above).
The Dokmanovic and Kupreskic & other cases will be handled by Trial Chamber II in its new composition (see above).
The Kovacevic case will be heard by Trial Chamber II-bis, consisting of Judge Richard George May (Presiding, United Kingdom), Judge Lal Chand Vohrah (Malaysia) and Judge Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba (Zambia).
The Erdemovic case will be handled by Trial Chamber II-ter, consisting of Judge Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba (Presiding, Zambia), Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana) and Judge Wang Tieya (China).
*****
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
For more information, please contact our Media Office in The Hague
Tel.: +31-70-512-8752; 512-5343; 512-5356 Fax: +31-70-512-5355 - Email: press [at] icty.org ()
Follow ICTY on Twitter and Youtube