Judge Liu Daqun ( China) was sworn in at a ceremony held today at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The ceremony was administered by the Tribunal’s President, Judge Erik Møse and witnessed by the Registrar, Mr. Adama Dieng, representing the United Nations Secretary-General, and in the presence of the Judges of the Appeals Chamber.

Judge Liu Daqun (56) was, since 2000 until his appointment, on 17 November 2005 to the Appeals Chamber, a permanent Judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Before joining ICTY, he was ambassador to Jamaica and also permanent representative of the People’s Republic of China to the International Seabed Authority.

From 1984 to 1993, Judge Liu was director of private international law division, and of the Law of the Sea Division, Treaty and Law Department, Foreign Ministry. From 1993 to 1998, Judge Liu Daqun became the Deputy Director General and Legal Adviser, Treaty and Law Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affair. Judge Liu was also professor of International Law at the China University of Law and Political Science.

The Appeals Chamber, whose president Judge Fausto Pocar was elected on 17 November 2005, is sitting from 6 February to 9 February 2006 to hear the parties’ arguments on Andre Ntagerura et al, Emmanuel Ndindabahizi and Sylvestre Gacumbitsi cases.The other Judges of the Appeals Chamber are: Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana), Mehmet Güney (Turkey), Andrésia Vaz (Senegal), Theodor Meron (United States) and Wolfgang Schomburg (Germany).