Rwanda: Security Council adds pool of 18 judges to help UN war crimes tribunal

The Security Council today established a pool of temporary judges to help the United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda complete its work as soon as possible.

In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Council decided to set up a pool of 18 ad litem judges for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, from which four would be drawn to help with trial work.

In addition, the Council requested that Secretary-General Kofi Annan make practical arrangements for the election as soon as possible of the 18 judges and for the timely provision to the Rwanda Tribunal of personnel and facilities for the ad litem judges and related offices of the Prosecutor.

The Council created the Rwanda Tribunal, located in Arusha, Tanzania, in November 1994, to prosecute people responsible for genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of Rwanda between 1 January and 31 December 1994.

The Tribunal may also deal with prosecution of Rwandan citizens responsible for genocide and other such violations of international law committed in neighbouring States over the same period.