Former STL Registrar Robin Vincent Dies

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced on Tuesday that the court’s first Registrar, Robin Vincent, had died but did not unveil the cause of death.

“It is with profound grief that I have learned of Robin's passing away,” said STL President Judge Antonio Cassese. “He was an excellent and dedicated manager, who, as the first Registrar of the STL, worked incessantly to make it possible for the Tribunal to get off the ground.”

“His contribution to the establishment of the Tribunal is invaluable. He was always ready to listen to the suggestions and proposals of others. He was an exceedingly amiable man.”

Vincent was appointed by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in March 2008. Vincent prepared the tribunal’s premises, coordinated the transition from the U.N. International Independent Investigation Commission to the STL, recruited core staff, and finalized the court’s first budget, said a press release issued by the tribunal.

"The death of Robin Vincent is a very sad day for everyone who has been working in the field of international and transitional justice,” said the Registrar of the STL, Herman von Hebel.

“The dedication to his work, his enormous energy, his creativity and last but not least his strong sense of humor made him a major figure in this field," he added.