Daniel Bellemare
Encyclopedia
Daniel Bellemare is a Canadian prosecutor. After retiring from a long career in the Canadian legal system, Bellemare was named as a prosecutor for the United Nations
.
and completed a Masters of Law at the University of Montreal. He was called to the bar in the province of Quebec in 1976. He has served in various Canadian government positions, including Deputy Attorney General and Special Adviser to the Deputy Minister of Justice. He is also the longest-serving head of the Federal Prosecution Service
in Canadian history. Bellemare was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal
by the Governor General in 2003.
as the commissioner for the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission
(UNIIIC) in September 2008, replacing Serge Brammertz
of Belgium. In March 2009, he was named chief prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
, mandated with solving the 2005 murder of Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
. Bellemare's performance with the S.T.L. was criticized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
in a November 2010 report. The prosecutor was also quoted in the 2010 Wikileaks
United States diplomatic cables leak
scandal, where he expressed reservations with the U.S. Governments' approach to the Hariri investigation in a 2008 cable, saying "if the US doesn't help me, who will?"
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Canadian legal career
Bellemare holds a Law degree from the University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
and completed a Masters of Law at the University of Montreal. He was called to the bar in the province of Quebec in 1976. He has served in various Canadian government positions, including Deputy Attorney General and Special Adviser to the Deputy Minister of Justice. He is also the longest-serving head of the Federal Prosecution Service
Federal Prosecution Service
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada, formerly Federal Prosecution Service, was established on December 12, 2006 by the Director of Public Prosecutions Act and the Federal Accountability Act. For non-provincial or federal cases in Canada, a senior general counsel is assigned from the PPSC, an...
in Canadian history. Bellemare was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (Canada)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, one of the two Meritorious Service Decorations gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council...
by the Governor General in 2003.
UN career
Bellemare was assigned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-MoonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
as the commissioner for the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission
United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission
The United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission was established in April 2005 by Security Council Resolution 1595 to investigate the assassination of Rafic Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon on 14 February 2005....
(UNIIIC) in September 2008, replacing Serge Brammertz
Serge Brammertz
Serge Brammertz is a Belgian jurist, and the prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.Brammertz was deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court from 2002 to 2007...
of Belgium. In March 2009, he was named chief prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
Special Tribunal for Lebanon
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is an international tribunal for the prosecution under Lebanese law of those responsible for the assassination of Rafic Hariri on February 14, 2005. The tribunal also has jurisdiction over a series of other attacks in Lebanon if they are proven to be connected...
, mandated with solving the 2005 murder of Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
Rafik Hariri
Rafic Baha El Deen Al-Hariri , was a business tycoon and the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his resignation, 20 October 2004.He headed five cabinets during his tenure...
. Bellemare's performance with the S.T.L. was criticized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
in a November 2010 report. The prosecutor was also quoted in the 2010 Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
United States diplomatic cables leak
United States diplomatic cables leak
The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...
scandal, where he expressed reservations with the U.S. Governments' approach to the Hariri investigation in a 2008 cable, saying "if the US doesn't help me, who will?"