YouSaid · the spoken record

Brammertz

lines on the record: 454
first: 2006-03-16
most recent: 2023-12-12
sittings or episodes: 36
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“My Office proved that they had engaged in a brazen effort to interfere with the administration of justice by improperly influencing witnesses to recant in a failed effort to overturn Ngirabatware’s genocide conviction. Appeal proceedings are now ongoing. In establishing the Mechanism, the Security Council decided that it would be responsible for finalizing ongoing cases handed over by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), as well as commencing new trials of ICTR fugitives who are arrested. My Office is satisfied that the last ICTY case is now at its final stage. With the nearing start of the Kabuga trial, we look forward to this opportunity to achieve more justice in the courtroom for the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.”
2021-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8927 (2021) · source
“Through those and other steps, we continue to meet all our pretrial obligations and take steps to promote expeditious trial proceedings. My Office is ready for, and looks forward to, the commencement of the trial at the Arusha Branch when ordered by the Trial Chamber. In addition, my Office completed two more trials during the reporting period. At The Hague Branch, both Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović were convicted at trial for aiding and abetting the crimes of murder, deportation, forcible transfer and persecution, as crimes against humanity, and murder, as a war crime. At the Arusha Branch, in the Nzabonimpa et al. case, four of the accused were convicted at trial for contempt of court.”
2021-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8927 (2021) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: I am grateful for this opportunity to address the Security Council about the activities of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Our written report (see S/2021/694) provides details about our activities. Today I would just like to mention a few highlights. We are continuing our efforts to complete our remaining trials and appeals, which remains our first strategic priority. In the Kabuga case, my Office achieved key pretrial milestones during the reporting period. In accordance with the Trial Chamber’s deadlines, our trial team filed its pretrial brief, as well as other important pretrial filings. My Office further responded to significant additional litigation initiated by Kabuga’s family members and associated third parties concerning seized assets.”
2021-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8927 (2021) · source
“In order for that work to be successfully completed, it is critical that the Security Council send an unmistakable message to Member States that cooperation with my Office is required. We are grateful for the continued support of the Council in all our efforts.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Denial and glorification continue to be treated as differences of opinion or arguments about legal terms. They are not. The reality is that denial and glorification are the final stage of genocide. There are political tools used for political purposes. Urgent action is needed. In conclusion, my Office is pleased that two trials and one appeal will conclude this month. We are satisfied with the Appeals Chambers judgment in the case Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladić, which confirmed his convictions and sentence of life imprisonment. Yet my Office still has much important work ahead of us. We will continue to work towards the commencement of the trial of Félicien Kabuga as soon as possible. As for the remaining fugitives of the ICTR, we are committed to ensuring that they are brought to justice just as Mladić was.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Some will claim that he is a hero, while posters and murals of him will be displayed. Sadly, this has become what must be expected. In Montenegro, the Minister of Justice recently denied the genocide in Srebrenica, after previous Governments had taken a firm stand in support of the wise judgment of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. In Serbia, convicted workers are regularly given platforms to deny their crimes. Denial and glorification by officials and official bodies in the Republika Srpska have become so commonplace that they often pass without remark. As for Rwanda, the recent commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi has again demonstrated that genocide denial continues to flourish, particularly among diaspora communities.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“The new war crime strategies are important opportunities to clearly demonstrate national commitment to full accountability, in particular with respect to senior- and mid-level suspects. Two decades after the conflict, much more remains to be done. My Office will continue to engage directly with our counterparts to support further investigations and prosecutions. Diplomatic support from the European Union and other partners will remain critical. Finally, I am compelled to bring to the Council’s attention once again the issues of genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals. It is certain that reactions to the conviction of Ratko Mladić today will include denials of the Srebrenica genocide, the siege of Sarajevo and the ethnic cleansing campaigns he unleashed.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“My Office continues to urge all countries to provide full cooperation to the Prosecutor General of Rwanda as he seeks to account for hundreds more fugitives who remain at large. Secondly, in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, new national war crimes strategies are being put in place. There are still thousands of war crime suspects to process in those two countries. The new strategies set high expectations for the swift resolution of outstanding cases and should also address shortcomings in previous efforts. Improved regional cooperation will be critical. Many suspects who committed crimes in Bosnia Herzegovina fled to Serbia and Croatia. Urgent efforts are needed by prosecutors to bring all such persons to justice.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“In particular, many of Mladić’s accomplices and subordinates still need to be held accountable for their crimes, like many other war crime perpetrators in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia. That is why my Office’s third strategic priority is to assist national jurisdictions prosecuting international crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda. And I was recently again in contact with the Chief Prosecutors in Sarajevo, Belgrade and Zagreb in that regard. I would like to briefly update Council members on three important developments. First, the arrest of Kabuga has brought renewed attention to continuing national efforts to prosecute alleged génocidaires. During the reporting period, Rwandan authorities achieved important results in cases referred by the ICTR under rule 11 bis.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Those are persons of interest to us, and we encourage them to come forward with information about Mpiranya. My Office reiterates that any person, including Mpiranya’s associates and supporters, who provides information leading to an arrest is eligible for a reward of up to $5 million. My Office is determined to account for the remaining fugitives as quickly as possible so that our tracking activities can finally be brought to an end. I know that the Security Council fully shares and supports that goal. As my Office works to resolve the challenges we face, the firm support of the Council will be vital. As I mentioned earlier, the final judgment against Mladić reminds us of the other important work still ahead.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“As it stands today, South African authorities are effectively sending the message that their country is a safe haven for fugitive génocidaires. With respect to the other fugitives, our priority is Protais Mpiranya, former Commander of the Presidential Guard. While some investigations are hindered by the absence of cooperation from key Member States, other investigative leads are still moving forward. In particular, we are actively investigating evidence that Mpiranya, in addition to his crimes during the genocide, has for the past two decades has engaged in further serious criminal activity. We have reasons to believe that he has also operated business enterprises using illicit funds. Many individuals are likely to have interacted with him or learned of him.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Those efforts produced results, as demonstrated last year by the arrest of Kabuga and the confirmation of Bizimana’s death. Currently we have viable leads on all remaining fugitives and, with continued efforts, we can reasonably expect further results. Our primary challenge, however, is the lack of full and effective cooperation from Member States. Simply put, a number of countries are not adhering to their international obligations and are preventing my Office from securing arrests. Six months ago, I informed the Security Council that Kayishema remains at large because South Africa fails to provide cooperation. Unfortunately, the situation remains unchanged and there has been no meaningful improvement.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Also, the Nzabonimpa case, which is an old case, will soon conclude, with a judgment expected in the coming weeks. The importance of that case must be underscored. Corrupting witnesses strikes at the core of the justice process, and my Office will continue to fulfil its mandate to investigate and prosecute contempt of court cases. Finally, in the Stanišić and Simatović case, we delivered our closing arguments and are now expecting a judgment in the near future. My Office further continues to actively search for the remaining six fugitives indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). A few years ago, I informed the Council that we were reforming and strengthening our fugitive tracking activities on the understanding that it was our responsibility to demonstrate a track record of success (see S/PV.7960).”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Following his arrest last May, after two decades as a fugitive, my Office has quickly undertaken further investigations and preparations for the commencement of his trial. In February, we took an important step forward with the confirmation of our amended indictment. We made a number of key updates and revisions to streamline and clarify the case, including specific incidents of sexual violence. Ultimately, we believe the amended indictment will promote an expeditious trial while appropriately reflecting Kabuga’s added criminal responsibility. We are now fully focused on trial preparations. We will submit our pretrial brief and complete key pretrial responsibilities by the end of August, and my Office is currently committed to being ready to start trial when decided by the Trial Chamber.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Too many commanders still treat innocent lives as inconsequential. There are sadly still too many people like Mladić. Justice matters because it is how we condemn and punish great wrongs so that they are not repeated. That is why today is not about only what we have achieved, but about what more there is still to be achieved. For my Office, while we take satisfaction from Mladić’s final conviction, we are also aware of the work we still have ahead of us. A major part of our remaining work is at the Arusha Branch, where we continue to seek more justice for the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and Rwanda. The Kabuga case is one of our key priorities, obviously.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“After a fair trial by impartial international judges, Mladić was finally convicted for his crimes and sentenced to the most severe punishment possible. I spoke earlier today with the mother of Srebrenica survivors of Mladić’s genocide. For 26 years, they have suffered the loss of their husbands, fathers and sons and have courageously fought to see Mladić punished for his crimes. They have asked me to convey to the Security Council a simple message: justice matters. It is not a slogan, but a fundamental truth. Justice matters to the victims because, while it will never bring back their loved ones, it can mitigate the pain they must live with. But even more, they told me, justice matters to the present and the future. Today too many perpetrators in conflicts around the world still use their power to cause inhumane suffering.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: I am grateful for this opportunity to remotely address the Security Council about the activities of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Our written report provides details about our activities and results during the reporting period in relation to our strategic priorities. Today I would like to highlight a few important issues. In July 1995, Ratko Mladić was indicted by my Office for the atrocities he committed against hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For more than a decade and a half, he was among the world’s most wanted fugitives and a symbol of a culture of global impunity. Today though, justice has been done.”
2021-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8790 (2021) · source
“The Council can send a clear message to all Member States underscoring that the search for the fugitives is still vital to international peace and security today. We also remain committed to providing our support to national authorities in their continued implementation of the ICTR and ICTY completion strategies so that greater justice can be achieved. We are grateful for the continued support of the Council in all of our efforts.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“Some promote revisionist histories, while others try to gain votes by commemorating, rather than condemning, war criminals. In Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, prosecutors, judges, civil society and others continue fighting to bring the perpetrators of the most horrific crimes to justice, establish the rule of law and promote reconciliation. They need our help and support as much as ever. In conclusion, my Office is firmly focused on completing our remaining functions efficiently and effectively. In that regard, we fully support the evaluation currently being conducted by the Office of Internal Oversight Services. My Office needs the Council's support in the search for the fugitives. Some Member States are not adhering to their obligations of providing the needed cooperation.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“Yet at the same time, for a number of years my written reports have underscored that the denial of crimes and the glorification of convicted war criminals are pervasive throughout the former Yugoslavia, and the situation continues to get worse. Such a climate has a negative impact on national justice for war crimes, and it is impossible to speak about meaningful reconciliation when communities are growing further apart, not closer together. To understand the problem, one need only look at the actions of some politicians. They do not seek votes by promising reconciliation or by building bridges to other communities. Instead, politicians believe that they win elections by denying atrocities and glorifying those responsible.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“Thousands of cases still need to be processed by national courts, which will be possible only with significant improvements in regional judicial cooperation. Our support for colleague prosecutors remains an important area of development. At the request of the War Crimes Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia, last week my Office provided a five-day induction training for new deputy prosecutors and legal assistants, which was generously funded by the Netherlands. Early next year my Office will similarly deliver an advanced training programme on prosecuting sexual violence for the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at its request.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“While my Office is undertaking significant efforts to locate the eight remaining fugitives indicted by the ICTR, Rwandan authorities are searching for at least 500 additional fugitives suspected to have participated in the genocide. We remain committed to supporting the Prosecutor General of Rwanda and his Office in those efforts, and our cooperation continues to develop in a positive direction. Nonetheless, there are still concerted efforts to deny the Rwandan genocide, particularly among Rwanda diaspora communities. Some promote revisionist accounts that minimize the scale of the genocide. Others continue to deny that the crimes were committed with the intent to destroy the Tutsi group in whole or in part. In relation to the former Yugoslavia, national authorities now have primary responsibility for achieving justice for war crimes.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“In relation to national prosecutions of crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, my written report provides detailed insight into their current status and challenges. It is clear that much more remains to be done to achieve more justice for more Victims. My Office continues to receive a large number of requests for assistance from national authorities, which is a tangible demonstration of the fact that domestic investigations and prosecutions are under way. Unfortunately, however, the glorification of convicted war criminals and the denial of crimes - including genocide denial - continue to pose significant challenges to accountability and reconciliation.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“National authorities have not, however, provided us with access to the persons and information that we need, or otherwise treated our requests with urgency. The Security Council has repeatedly urged Member States to provide all necessary cooperation in the search for the fugitives. That message, sadly, is not being heard by some States. And when a member of the Council fails for 16 months to arrest a fugitive wanted for genocide, it definitely sends the wrong signal. This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. The victims have waited far too long to see those fugitives brought to justice. Our success depends on timely and effective cooperation from Member States.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“At this late stage, neither the victims nor the Council can be satisfied with anything less than the fugitive's immediate arrest. In other areas we are also facing challenges in obtaining cooperation. My Office is generating valuable intelligence and leads - telephone numbers, places of residence, identification documents, travel details and more. We have submitted numerous urgent requests for assistance, particularly to countries in East and southern Africa, to follow up on those leads. However, many time-sensitive, important requests have remained unanswered for more than a year. Among other issues, we have credible information that some fugitives have been able to illegally and corruptly procure passports from a number of different countries, which has enabled them to freely cross borders and evade our efforts.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“My Office was greatly surprised then to receive in September a formal response from South Africa informing us, for the first time after more than a year of discussions, that it could not cooperate because it lacked the necessary domestic legislation. We quickly responded by reaffirming South Africa's obligation to cooperate under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations and reiterating our request for the fugitive's prompt arrest. After we had submitted our critical written report to the Security Council, South Africa last week informed us that it had finally submitted the arrest warrant to the competent judicial authorities for execution. While we welcome that procedural step after nearly one and a half years of inaction, the fact is that while we are speaking today, the fugitive remains at large.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“At all times we have sought to handle this matter with discretion and respect for South Africa's sovereignty. During discussions that have taken place over the past year, South Africa provided changing reasons as to why it could not act. For each and every challenge that was posed, my Office sought to work with South Africa and find solutions to overcome them. To our disappointment, the situation remained the same, which obliged me to raise this matter during my previous two briefings (see S/PV.8576 and S/PV.8416). After assurances in July that cooperation would be forthcoming, I was cautiously optimistic that the arrest would take place expeditiously.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“As I have previously reported to the Council, my Office has been taking a number of important measures to strengthen our activities to locate and arrest the remaining eight fugitives indicted by the ICTR. That is one of my Office's most important residual functions. Over the past two years, our reforms and renewed efforts have generated a number of important actionable leads. Unfortunately, I must report today that we are not obtaining the cooperation that we need from some Member States. I deeply regret South Africa's long- standing failure to execute a Mechanism arrest warrant. Since my Office was officially notified in August 2018 that one of the fugitives had been located in South Africa, I have endeavoured to work with South African authorities to secure the fugitive's arrest.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“Those results are a clear demonstration to all witnesses who testified before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Mechanism that they continue to enjoy the Mechanism's protection. For the fair administration ofjustice, it is necessary that the Mechanism provide the opportunity to convicted persons to seek review of their convictions when legitimate new facts arise. At the same time, my Office will firmly stand against any attempt to undermine thejudgments ofthe ICTR, the ICTY and the Mechanism through the commission of further crimes. Such contempt of court, as in that case, constitutes a form of genocide denial that must be opposed, for the sake of peace, reconciliation and the truth.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“In 2016, he asked the Appeals Chamber to reverse his convictions on the basis of an alleged new fact. Specifically, he submitted that four witnesses who testified against him at trial had recanted their testimonies. In the course of investigating that matter, my Office uncovered extensive evidence of a broad criminal scheme involving many individuals over three years, aimed at influencing those four witnesses to recant their prior testimonies. With that evidence, we successfully defended Ngirabatware's conviction for genocide and have now indicted six individuals for contempt of court, including Mr. Ngirabatware himself.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“At the Arusha branch, my Office has taken significant steps to carry out our mandate from the Council to ensure the continued protection of witnesses and prosecute contempt of court offences under the Mechanism's statute. In September, the Appeals Chamber rejected the request for review submitted by Augustin Ngirabatware, and affirmed the appeal judgment against him. A few weeks later, a single Judge likewise confirmed our indictment against Mr. Ngirabatware, charging him with two counts of contempt of court and one count of incitement to commit contempt of court. Augustin Ngirabatware is a former Rwandan Government minister who was convicted in 2014 for inciting, instigating and aiding and abetting genocide and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: I am grateful for the opportunity to address the Security Council about the activities of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. My written report (S/2019/888, annex II) provides details about our activities and results during the reporting period. Today I would like to highlight a few important issues. Events during the reporting period demonstrated that our residual functions remain important and necessary. In The Hague, my Office remains committed to meeting all court-imposed deadlines and effectively presenting our arguments in the retrial of the case Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanisie and Franko Simatovic and the appeal of the case Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladic'.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8681 (2019) · source
“However, we are not yet receiving the cooperation needed to secure arrests, so we call upon all Member States to adhere to their international obligations and provide full cooperation to our efforts. We also remain committed to providing our support to the continued implementation of the ICTR and ICTY completion strategies by national authorities so that more justice can be achieved for more victims. We are grateful for the continued support of the Council in all of our efforts.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Denial and glorification are destabilizing the region and preventing reconciliation. And so, to begin to move forward, glorification must stop. Important lessons can be learned from the Rwandan example. Every year the Rwandan people join together for 100 days to commemorate all victims of the genocide and renew their commitment to ensuring that such crimes are never repeated. The international community failed the victims in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia by standing by as the crimes were committed. We cannot fail them again now by not speaking out against denial and glorification. In conclusion, my Office is firmly focused on completing our remaining functions efficiently and effectively. In the search for the fugitives, my Office is generating credible intelligence on the current whereabouts of several fugitives.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“It cannot be tolerated that, just last week, a Government minister called the Srebrenica genocide false, while a member of Parliament congratulated Ratko Mladie on the genocide, which he said was a brilliant military operation. The truth is that during the conflicts there was untold human suffering caused by leaders who used fear, division and hatred. No one emerged unharmed - not in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Croatia, in Kosovo or in Serbia - but the denial of the crimes causes profound pain to the victims. Their suffering was immense, yet some are determined to insult and torment them even more. The glorification of war criminals punishes young people. What they learn in the classrooms and from their leaders drives them apart, rather than bringing them together. The consequence is clear.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“National prosecutors have made clear that achieving those goals will depend on continued and strengthened assistance, and the international community has an important role to play by ensuring the requested assistance is provided. The final topic that I would like to address is the denial of crimes and the glorification of war criminals. In relation to Rwanda, genocide denial, in all of its forms and manifestations, unfortunately continues. Efforts to minimize the scale of the death and destruction or point to other factors to detract attention from the facts of the genocide are unacceptable. As for the former Yugoslavia, I first reported to the Council about this topic five years ago. Unfortunately, since that time the situation has dramatically worsened.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Last year, we received more than 300 requests for assistance to provide evidence - more than ever before - and current trends indicate that this year we will again receive a record number of requests. Regional cooperation is another area where strengthened engagement will have an impact. I am pleased to report that with my Office's support, at the recent conference in Belgrade the region's chief prosecutors agreed to transfer specific cases involving mid-level officials from the countries where the crimes were committed to the countries where suspects are living now. They further requested my Office to facilitate that process. The countries of the former Yugoslavia have made commitments to increasing the pace of war crimes prosecutions and significantly reducing the backlog of unresolved cases.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“We will utilize all tools available to us to address the challenges we face, including formal reports of non-cooperation to the Security Council, if needed. In relation to national prosecutions of crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, my written report provides detailed insight into the current status and challenges. It is clear that much more remains to be done to achieve more justice for more victims. Rwandan authorities continue to search for more than 500 fugitives. In the former Yugoslavia, thousands of cases still need to be processed by national courts. Our national counterparts are unanimous that they need more support, assistance and advice to successfully implement national war crimes strategies.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“We have continually renewed our requests and repeatedly sought to engage directly with South African authorities. Unfortunately, until yesterday, we had received only pro forma responses that our requests had been forwarded to the appropriate authorities and were being considered. South Africa confirmed yesterday by note verbale that it is fully committed to cooperating with my Office. I hope that this time it will actually deliver on that commitment immediately. This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. It is time for the remaining fugitives indicted by the ICTR to be brought to justice. The victims have waited for far too long. It must also be underlined that this is not just an issue of the past. Some fugitives remain threats to international peace and security today by promoting conflict and exploitation.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Unfortunately, I must report that there are a number of issues in State cooperation that have negatively impacted our work. While many Member States have committed to providing cooperation, more can be done to ensure that their authorities deliver on that commitment. In part, the challenges we are facing are symptomatic of a more general lack of capacity in terms of inter-State cooperation in criminal matters, including in the search for transnational fugitives. We are committed to supporting our partners to overcome those challenges. At the same time, it also appears that some countries do not prioritize cooperation with my Office in bringing genocide fugitives to justice. Since August of last year, my Office has been seeking urgent cooperation from South Africa in relation to the arrest of a fugitive located on its territory.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Serious crimes against the justice process must be detected and prosecuted, as the Council recognized in adopting the Mechanism's statute. My Office is determined to carry out our mandate by ensuring that witnesses are protected from interference and by safeguarding the integrity of ourjudgments. As I have previously reported to the Council, my Office has been taking a number ofimportant measures to strengthen our activities to locate and arrest the remaining eight fugitives indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Over the past year, our reforms and renewed efforts have generated important actionable leads. Critically, my Office has developed credible intelligence on the current whereabouts of several fugitives. We accordingly approached a number of Member States to seek their cooperation.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“In that regard, I note the efforts of the Republic of Serbia to ensure full cooperation with my Office by quickly responding to a number of important requests for assistance. Regarding the Mladie appeal, my Office finished preparation of the written appeals arguments and also litigated a number of other matters in this case, including motions for additional evidence. At the Arusha branch, on 7 December 2018, the single Judge decided not to refer the Turinabo et a]. contempt case to Rwanda and ordered that it be conducted by the Mechanism. Since that time, my Office has been engaged in intense pre-trial preparation and litigation, while concurrently litigating the related review proceedings in the Ngirabatware case.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Most importantly, on 20 March, the Appeals Chamber of the Mechanism affirmed the conviction of Radovan Karadzic' for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Appeals Chamber further granted my Office's appeal and entered a sentence of life imprisonment. As President of the Republika Srpska, Karadzie stood at the apex of power, which he abused to manipulate his people and commit atrocities that shocked our collective conscience. For 13 years, he was one of the world's most wanted fugitives. He has now been held accountable by an international court for his crimes. This case is a powerful demonstration that when the international community remains determined, justice can and will prevail. In relation to the Stanisie and Simatovie retrial, my Office completed the presentation of its evidence and the defence cases have now begun.”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to address the Security Council about the activities of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. My written report provides details about our activities and results during the reporting period in relation to our three primary priorities (S/2019/417, annex II). Today, I would like to highlight just a few important issues. MyOffice'sfirstpriorityasalwaysisto expeditiously complete the ad hoc trials and appeals under the Mechanism's jurisdiction. During the reporting period, at The Hague branch, my Office made important progress towards finalizing the remaining proceedings transferred from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).”
2019-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8576 (2019) · source
“Achieving further progress is both a humanitarian imperative and fundamental to reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia. Victims from all sides of the conflict must be located, identified and returned to their families. In conclusion, my Office is firmly focused on completing its remaining functions efficiently and effectively, including by investigating and prosecuting interference with witnesses and contempt of court. We also remain committed to providing our full support to the continued implementation by national authorities of the ICTR and ICTY completion strategies so that more justice can be achieved for more victims. We are grateful for the continued support of the Council in all of our efforts.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source
“We signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to promote our cooperation. That important agreement will enable the ICRC to access our evidence collection in order to obtain information that may assist in clarifying the fate and whereabouts of persons who are still missing. We have also continued to provide national authorities with access to our records and expertise. In the past months, we have hosted working Visits by the Commission on Missing Persons of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and have given extensive operational support to the Missing Persons Institute of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the recent London summit organized by the United Kingdom, all Governments of the region pledged to increase their activities and cooperation and prevent the politicization of the issue.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source
“The final topic I would like to address, briefly, is the search for missing persons in the former Yugoslavia. Significant results have been achieved, with almost 25,000 missing persons having been found and identified. Unfortunately, more than 10,000 families still do not know the fate of their loved ones. I had a number of meetings with representatives of the families of the missing during my recent missions to the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Even today, they suffer the immense pain of not knowing the fate of their loved ones. Their message to all of us is simple - we must intensify efforts, deepen cooperation and finally return the missing to their families. During the reporting period, my Office took important steps to strengthen our support for the search for missing persons.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source
“Today, suspected war criminals too often find safe haven in neighbouring countries because authorities fail to work together. Successful regional efforts in the fight against organized crime, corruption and other serious offences demonstrate that such cooperation is possible. When it comes to regional cooperation in war crimes matters, the challenge is not inability but unwillingness. If for no other reason than to secure meaningful justice for their own people, my Office calls upon authorities in the region to take concrete steps to remedy the situation, including by bringing political interference in the justice process to a halt and allowing the judiciaries to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the rule of law and international and European standards.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source
“Soldiers do not defend their country with honour by murdering civilians, burning homes, raping women and girls, and persecuting communities because of their ethnicity or religion. Countries cannot build a future together if they do not have a common understanding and acceptance of the recent past. In Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, my Office is committed to promoting education and remembrance as key tools in the fight against ideologies of discrimination, division and hate. As detailed in my written report, regional cooperation in war crimes matters between the countries of the former Yugoslavia is at its lowest level in years and continues to head in the wrong direction. That cooperation is essential to achieving justice for victims from all communities.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source
“In order for us to complete that residual function as expeditiously as possible, State cooperation remains most essential. In relation to the countries of the former Yugoslavia, my Office deeply regrets the continued glorification of war criminals and the denial of crimes, including the Srebrenica genocide. While my Office has repeatedly called for urgent attention to that issue, developments during the reporting period again demonstrated that the challenge is severe. Some political leaders in the region are working to overcome the legacy of the recent past. Unfortunately, positive steps are undermined by irresponsible comments from other officials denying what has been established beyond a reasonable doubt by international courts and portraying as heroes men who committed the most serious violations of international law.”
2018-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8416 (2018) · source