At a ceremony held today at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Judge Vagn Joensen( Denmark) was sworn in as an ad litem judge. The ceremony was carried out by the Tribunal’s President, Judge Erik Møse and witnessed by the Registrar, Mr. Adama Dieng, representing the United Nations Secretary General. Judge Joensenreplaces Judge Karin Hökborg ( Sweden).

Following the withdrawal of Judge Emile Short from the Karemera et al. trial due to health reasons on 19 January 2007, the two remaining judges decided to continue the proceedings with a substitute judge. On 20 April 2007, the Appeals Chamber rejected an appeal of that decision. Judge Joensen was appointed by the Secretary-General as an ad litem judge to form part of the bench in that trial.

Before joining the ICTR, Judge Joensen was a High Court judge of the Eastern High Court of Copenhagen (since 1994). He has also served as an international judge for UNMIK, Kosovo. Judge Joensen has been member of several committees in the Council of Europe and has teaching experience in criminal, constitutional and civil law at the Universities of Å rhus and Copenhagen. Judge Joensen completed his legal studies in Denmark, the United Kingdom and Harvard Law School.