Judge Dionysios Kondylis (Greece), one of three new judges of the ICTR sworn in on 22 February 1999, has resigned as a result of unforseen family and personal reasons that had to do with previous professional commitments he had entered into prior to his election as a Judge of the ICTR.

A letter to the Tribunal's President, Judge Laïty Kama, by Judge Kondylis, dated 22 March 1998, stated :

"Dear Mr. President,

I deeply regret that, due to unforseen personal and family reasons, I have to give your Honour notice of my resignation from the office of judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, in accordance with Rule 16 of the Rule of Procedure and Evidence of the Tribunal.

Allow me to add that I consider myself greatly honoured and privileged to have made your acquaintance, as well as the acquaintance of the other honourable judges.

Yours sincerely, Dionysios Kondylis."

The Statute of the Tribunal (Article 12) provides that, in the event of a vacancy in the Trial Chambers, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall appoint a new judge after consultation with the Presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly.