Press Release . Communiqué de presse
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)

The Hague, 1 July 2004
MF/P.I.S./867e

MESSAGE OF JUDGE THEODOR MERON, PRESIDENT OF THE ICTY,
UPON THE DEATH OF SIR RICHARD MAY, RETIRED JUDGE OF THE TRIBUNAL

It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of Sir Richard May, retired Judge of the Tribunal, in his home town of Oxford, England early this morning.

Sir Richard will be remembered with pride as one of the major figures in the history of the Tribunal. He served as Judge of the Tribunal from November 1997 until his retirement in May 2004. He impressed all who encountered him with his extraordinary intellect, his dedication to his work, his charm and his sense of humour. He arrived at the Tribunal as a seasoned jurist and quickly became one of the Tribunal’s shining lights. Sir Richard was always careful to strike the necessary balance between expeditious and efficient trials and the requirements of fairness, notably leading the Milošević case through a major part of the trial with the patience and creativity that the case requires.

Sir Richard’s devotion to justice was reflected not only in his expert leadership in the courtroom, but also in the care he took as Chair of the Tribunal’s Rules Committee to develop fair and effective procedures for the trial of cases before the Tribunal. Sir Richard’s major contributions to the evolution of international criminal procedure have significantly improved the work of the Tribunal and will be of great value to all international criminal courts.

The international community has lost one of its strongest champions in the fight to end impunity for persons who commit serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Sir Richard is survived by his wife, Lady Radmila May, and their three children. On behalf of the Tribunal as a whole, I express heartfelt condolences to Sir Richard’s family. We will miss him deeply.

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