Carla Del Ponte

Carla Del Ponte (born February 9, 1947) is currently a Chief UN War Crimes Prosecutor. She was appointed prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in August 1999, replacing Louise Arbour. In 2003, the U.N. Security Council removed del Ponte as the Prosecutor for the ICTR, and replaced her there with Hassan Bubacar Jallow in an effort to expedite proceedings in that Court. She remains the Prosecutor for the ICTY.

Related Topics:
February 9 - 1947 - Prosecutor - International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia - International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda - Louise Arbour - U.N. Security Council - ICTR - Hassan Bubacar Jallow - ICTY

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Del Ponte was born to Italian family in Lugano, Switzerland in 1947, Del Ponte studied law in Bern and Geneva, as well as in Britain. She obtained her LL.M. in 1972.

Related Topics:
Lugano - Switzerland - Bern - Geneva - Britain - LL.M.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After finishing her studies, Del Ponte joined a private law firm in Lugano, which she left in 1975 to set up her own company. In 1981 she was appointed investigating magistrate, and later public prosecutor at the Lugano district attorney's office. As public prosecutor, Del Ponte dealt with cases of fraud, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, terrorism and espionage.

Related Topics:
Fraud - Drug trafficking - Arms smuggling - Terrorism - Espionage

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was during that period that she and investigative Judge Giovanni Falcone uncovered the link between Swiss money launderers and the Italian drug trade in the so-called "pizza connection" case. As a result Judge Falcone was killed by a car bomb. Del Ponte was more fortunate as the half a tonne of explosives planted in the foundations of her Palermo home were discovered in time for her to escape the attempted assassination unhurt. Falcone's death nurtured Del Ponte's resoluteness to fight organised crime.

Related Topics:
Giovanni Falcone - Money launderer - Palermo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After serving for five years as Switzerland's attorney general, in 1999 Del Ponte joined the ICTY and ICTR to deal with war crimes as procuror. Talking about war crimes committed during the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s, Del Ponte said in an interview in end-2001: "Justice for the victims and the survivors requires a comprehensive effort at international and national level." She saw the trial against the former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milo?evi? as very important, but she has sworn that she will not stop until all key war crimes suspects have been brought to justice.

Related Topics:
Attorney general - War crime - Balkan conflicts - Yugoslav - Slobodan Milo?evi?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Del Ponte was formerly married, and has one son.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~