The former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court has joined a United Nations investigative panel into war crimes in Syria, announced the UN Human Rights Council.
Carla del Ponte’s appointment to the commission came as the UN HRC also moved to extend the mission of the UN probe by a further 6 months.
The appointment has been hailed as a strong show of the UN’s determination to bring perpetrators of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria to justice.
Laura Dupuy Lasserre, president of the UN Human Rights Council welcomed del Ponte’s appointment, along with that of Vitit Muntarbhorn, commenting,
“Both have a long track record which has been recognized at the highest possible level internationally… Their reputation is of impartial, independent and objective human rights work.”
The Council voted 41 – 3 in favour of extending the panel’s mission until the March session of the Human Rights Council, with Russia, China and Cuba voting against the resolution and a further three countries abstaining.
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