Judge Sir David Baragwanath has been unanimously elected President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and Presiding Judge of the Appeals Chamber after Judge Antonio Cassese resignation.

Judge Sir David Baragwanath has been unanimously elected President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and Presiding Judge of the Appeals Chamber after Judge Antonio Cassese resigned on health grounds, the STL said Monday.

Cassese will continue to serve as a Judge of the Appeals Chamber, it stated.

Baragwanath brings nearly fifty years of legal experience to the Presidency. He has practiced both as defense and as prosecution counsel, the tribunal statement said.

He has extensive experience in New Zealand as a High Court and Court of Appeal judge. He was also President of the New Zealand Law Commission, it added.

“Public confidence in the Tribunal requires that we adhere strictly to the rule of law,” said Baragwanath. “The people of Lebanon are entitled to receive from our Tribunal the highest standards of justice delivered without fear or favor, affection or ill-will.”

As for Cassese, he said that the decision to step down as President was difficult for him personally but it was the right choice for the STL.

“The President of the Tribunal has a wide range of tasks, including oversight of the effective functioning of the STL and the good administration of justice, as well as representing the court in relations with States, the United Nations and other entities,” the STL statement read.