The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea president, Judge Tomas Heidar, appointed Kathy-Ann Brown of Jamaica as an arbitrator in the case brought by Ukraine against Russia on October 28.
The case (PCA Case No. 2019-28), initiated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), involves Ukraine’s claims regarding the detention of its naval vessels and servicemen by Russia.
Ukraine’s representative, Oksana Zolotaryova, informed Judge Heidar on October 14 that an arbitrator had left the tribunal in August. With Ukraine and Russia unable to agree on a replacement within 60 days, Ukraine asked Judge Heidar to make the appointment, as allowed under Article 3 of Annex VII to the UNCLOS.
Following consultations, Judge Heidar appointed Brown, who now joins the five-member tribunal, which includes Gudmundur Eiriksson of Iceland as president, along with arbitrators Alexander Vylegzhanin (Russia), Christopher Greenwood (UK), and James Kateka (Tanzania).