SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS DETLEV MEHLIS AS HEAD OF UN INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION

The Secretary-General today sent a letter to the President of the Security Council informing the Council of his intention to appoint Detlev Mehlis of Germany as the Commissioner of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Mr. Mehlis is currently the Senior Public Prosecutor in the Office of the Attorney General in Berlin.  He has 25 years of prosecutorial experience and has led numerous investigations into serious, complex transnational crimes.

Mr. Mehlis has been a senior public prosecutor since 1992 and has, over the course of his career, been responsible for prosecuting terrorism and organized crime cases.  Since 1998, he has been the Chief of the Contact Office of the European Judiciary Network and Coordinator for the fight against organized crime in the State of Berlin.

Mr. Mehlis will travel to Beirut as soon as possible to begin the Commission’s investigation.

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