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

“We have kept costs to a minimum by ensuring that the majority of posts are double-hatted with the ICTY for the first phase of the Residual Mechanism's operations. Sixteen years after the Dayton Peace Accord, we have delivered the long-awaited news that all ICTY indictees have been, or soon will be, held accountable. That positive development renews our energy for the work ahead, but at the same time we see another significant challenge looming. National war crimes strategies in the region, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are floundering. If they are left to fail, the ICTY's legacy, along with reconciliation and the rule of law, will be endangered. It would be easy to dwell on those problems. Instead, I want to end by emphasizing the opportunity that now presents itself for leaders in States of the former Yugoslavia.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“We also remain deeply concerned by frequent political attacks on the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which undermine the national war crimes strategy. We ask the international community to help Bosnia and Herzegovina steer a more successful course towards accountability for wartime atrocities. As the completion strategy builds momentum, so too do our preparations for the Residual Mechanism. In this reporting period, we continued to work together with our colleagues in the ICTY Registry and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Office of the Prosecutor to facilitate a smooth transition. We have heard and understood the Council's message that the Mechanism must be a small and efficient operation. Our first budget proposal for our counterpart office within the Residual Mechanism was drafted with that message firmly in mind.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“He escaped from prison in Foea more than four years ago, yet very little has been done to return him to custody. We struggle to understand why the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina appear unconcerned about a fugitive who has committed crimes against its own citizens and who has scorned their judicial process. Neighbouring countries also have a role to play in resolving the Stankovie situation. Here, too, little action is visible, despite our repeated requests that more be done. More generally, during my trip to Sarajevo a month ago, I noted limited political will and insufficient resources to complete the remaining war crimes prosecutions. There is a large backlog of cases, including investigation files transferred by the ICTY, and cases are not efficiently moved between State and entity-level prosecutors.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“State officials at the highest level in Croatia continue to glorify illegal wartime conduct and question the impartiality of the ICTY's judgements. Legislation recently passed to annul war crimes indictments issued by Serbia against Croatian citizens reinforces our concerns. In relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, I can report that the day-to-day cooperation with my Office is proceeding well. However, we see troubling signs that the national war crimes strategy is struggling and urgent action is required to turn the situation around. The case of Radovan Stankovie is symptomatic of the broader problems. Stankovie, a so-called Rule 11 bis transferee from the ICTY, was convicted by the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“Following the final two arrests, Serbia undertook to hold accountable any individuals who assisted the fugitives. During my visit to Belgrade in November, I saw very little follow- through on this issue, and we expect more to be done by Serbia. I turn now to cooperation between my Office and Croatia. With no ongoing trials involving Croatian accused persons, my Office is making far fewer requests for assistance to the Croatian authorities. The limited requests we have made were adequately dealt with by the department for cooperation with international courts. During my last statement to the Security Council (see S/PV.6545), I mentioned our concern about statements from high-level Croatian authorities questioning the validity of the ICTY's work. Our concerns have been reinforced in the present reporting period.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“In my written report, I have acknowledged the good work done by the authorities in Belgrade under the leadership of the President, particularly the National Security Council, the action team established to track the fugitives, and the Security Service operatives who carried out the arrest operations. We are also grateful to Serbia's National Council for Cooperation with the Tribunal, which coordinates responses to our requests for assistance. Thanks to the Council's work, we receive the information we need for our cases promptly, allowing us to meet our tight court deadlines. In the next reporting period, we want to see results from Serbia's investigation into how ICTY fugitives, including Mladie and Hadzic', managed to evade justice for so many years.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“The completion strategy is fast becoming a reality. The evidence presentation in the majority of our trials will likely conclude in the next reporting period. Our focus will then be on the remaining trials - Karadzie, Mladie and Hadiie - as well as on managing our appellate case load as it rapidly expands throughout the course of next year. The departure of key staff in the midst of our cases is an ongoing problem requiring careful consideration and smart solutions. As long as we have ongoing cases, the cooperation of States, particularly in the former Yugoslavia, will remain essential. When it comes to Serbia, the arrest of the final two fugitives put our cooperative relationship on a new, more positive footing.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“We hope that the arrests also mean brighter prospects for international justice. Over the past two decades, international justice has spread to more and more parts of the globe, but difficulties in arresting key suspects are all too common. It is worth reflecting on the ICTY's success and applying the lessons we have learned to other courts and tribunals. If the ICTY has no more fugitives, it is because the international community understood that sometimes justice is a long-term project. It is because the international community maintained pressure and provided positive incentives for Serbia to choose accountability over impunity and the rule of law over misplaced loyalty to war criminals. With Radko Mladic' and Goran Hadzic' in custody, we are now fully occupied with finishing our trials and appeals.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: I thank the Council for this opportunity to speak on our progress towards the completion of our mandate. The major development over the last reporting period has been the arrest of the Tribunal's last fugitive, Goran Hadzie, and, as President Meron already mentioned today, of the 161 persons indicted by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), none remain at large. The significance of that development is multi- layered and goes well beyond simple statistics. The arrests mean that no individual has ultimately escaped the ICTY's reach and that the final impediment to completing our mandate has been removed. The arrests also mean that an important and problematic chapter in Serbia's cooperation with the ICTY has been closed, even if it took too long and redress for the victims was much too delayed.”
2011-12-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6678 (2011) · source
“We are deeply concerned by recent political initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina that sought to undermine the work of the State Prosecutor's Office and the State war crimes court. In conclusion, over the past six months we have made great strides towards the successful completion of our mandate. The long-awaited arrest of Ratko Mladic' stands out as one of the most significant developments, and we are committed to moving ahead expeditiously with his trial. At the same time, we ask the international community to ensure that we have the resources needed to complete our work. We also call upon Governments in the former Yugoslavia to support our work and to use it as a platform for promoting reconciliation in the region.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“It is a positive development to see prosecution offices in the region taking over responsibility for making sure that the crimes committed during the war are punished. However, cooperation among prosecutors in the region must be a priority in order to resolve problems such as parallel investigations. In July, we expect that an agreement will be signed between Bosnia and Serbia to improve the situation. We hope that increased cooperation between Bosnia and Serbia will also lead to more effective efforts to apprehend Radovan Stankovie, who remains at large nearly four years after escaping from prison in Foca. Improvements in regional cooperation will depend on strong national war crimes strategies in each country.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“We are conscious of the dates that have been set for the Residual Mechanism to begin taking over the ICTY's remaining work, and we are assisting our Registry colleagues with the necessary preparations. We are also working together with our counterparts at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to ensure a coordinated and efficient structure for the two prosecution offices of the Mechanism. As we approach the completion of our mandate, staffing issues remain a significant concern. Staff attrition is now a sharp reality, leaving our remaining staff members to shoulder unrealistically heavy burdens. Retaining our key staff will become a growing problem for us in the next reporting period. A further reflection that we are nearing the end of our work is our intensifying focus on supporting national war crimes prosecutions.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“It is, however, unfortunate that in the aftermath of the judgement, the highest State officials failed to comment objectively on the outcome of the case. From cooperation, I move to another core development: the progress of our trials and appeals. In this reporting period, we have finalized a large component of our trial work. We have completed the presentation of the Prosecution's case-in-chief in all but three cases. We must now add the Mladic' case to that list. As the focus of our attention turns towards the appellate phase of proceedings, we are positioning ourselves to deal effectively with the intense appellate caseload on the horizon. We are also making steady progress towards implementing the Security Council's resolution 1966 (2010 establishing the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“The Serbian National Council for Cooperation with the Tribunal continued to promote cooperation among the different Government bodies handling requests from our office. Similarly, we received prompt and adequate responses from Bosnia and Herzegovina to our requests to access documents and Government archives. From Croatia in general, timely and adequate responses were received concerning our requests for witnesses and evidence. However, during the reporting period, limited progress was made in locating the missing military documents concerning Operation Storm. Nevertheless, on 15 April the Trial Chamber rendered its judgement in the Gotovina et al. case and found that the crimes against Gotovina and Markac were proven based on the evidence submitted at trial.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“We also welcome the Government's expressed determination to expose and punish any State official who assisted him. We ask the Serbian Government to follow through on those undertakings as a matter of priority. We also ask the Serbian Government to continue the operational improvements that led to Ratko Mladie's arrest. The recommendations set out in my report for strengthening Serbia's fugitive-tracking efforts remain valid. We want the remaining ICTY fugitive - Goran HadZic' - apprehended without further delay. When it comes to our ongoing trial and appeal proceedings during this reporting period, Serbia has promptly provided access to the documents and archives we have requested.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“We urged them to translate their stated commitment to arresting the fugitives into concrete action and visible results. With the arrest of Ratko Mladie, Serbia has taken a considerable step towards achieving that objective. Serbia has met one of its key obligations to the Tribunal and simultaneously acknowledged the rule of law as a central building block for its future. While the arrest of Ratko Mladie is an excellent result, the fact remains that he was at large for 16 years. That raises troubling questions about how it was possible for this individual to elude the substantial resources of a State for so many years. We welcome the Serbian Government's statement that it will investigate and prosecute the networks that supported Ratko Mladic' during his time in hiding.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“For international criminal justice, it is a welcome confirmation that accountability for war crimes is not a fleeting interest, but an enduring value. Serbia now has an important opportunity to help the public understand why Ratko Mladie has been arrested and why justice demands that he stand trial. We thank the Serbian authorities for making the arrest, and we particularly acknowledge the role played by the National Security Council, the action team established to track the fugitives and operatives from the security services. In our written report (S/2011/316, annex II) we were critical of Serbia's efforts to locate the fugitives, and we identified a number of operational shortcomings for the Serbian authorities to address.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to address the Council on the progress made by my Office towards the completion of our mandate. Some recent developments have shown significant advances in establishing accountability for the crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia. Foremost among these, of course, is the arrest of Ratko Mladie, who for 16 years evaded capture and transfer to The Hague. The arrest is significant on many levels. For victims of the crimes alleged against Ratko Mladie, it is a long overdue opportunity for redress. For the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), it removes one of the last obstacles to holding accountable those most responsible for the wartime atrocities in the former Yugoslavia.”
2011-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6545 (2011) · source
“Crucially, we need the international community's help in securing the arrest of the two remaining fugitives. We have an obligation to ensure that those two individuals face the charges brought against them. We cannot abandon the Victims of some of the worst crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia - including the genocide in Srebrenica - and leave them without full redress. More generally, the failure to arrest Ratko Mladie and Goran Hadzic impedes reconciliation in the region and damages the credibility of the international legal system as a whole. While the key to the arrests lies in Serbia, the international community also has an important role to play. With its assistance and the effective implementation of conditionality policies, positive incentives can be given to Serbia to precipitate the arrests.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“Designing an appropriate mechanism is a complex exercise, and we are making every effort to ensure that the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals established by this Council to carry out this task has our support and the benefit of our experience. In concluding, I return to the theme I mentioned at the outset, namely, our common interest in striking the right balance between the expeditious completion of our activities and the integrity of our work. We are unquestionably focused on the end of our activities but, at the same time, we need the support of the international community more than ever. We need its commitment to ensuring that we have the resources necessary to complete our mandate. After 17 years of groundbreaking work and important accomplishments, we must not falter at this final hurdle.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“The fourth and final priority I want to mention today is our commitment to downsizing our Office and ensuring a smooth and effective transition to the proposed residual mechanism. During the reporting period, our Office abolished 30 professional posts and 12 general service posts. This reduction of posts is part of a process that will continue and gather further momentum in the next reporting period as more trials end. At the same time, our Office continues to engage in and contribute to discussions on the establishment of a residual mechanism to take over the outstanding aspects of our work when we close our doors.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“We want to be sure that, by the time the Tribunal closes its doors, we have done everything possible to transfer information and expertise to courts in the region of the former Yugoslavia so that they can successfully manage the large number of remaining war crimes cases. A key component of our efforts in this regard is our European Union-funded liaison prosecutors project, whereby three prosecutors from the region work as liaison prosecutors in our Office in The Hague. The liaison prosecutors are integrated with our staff and have a unique opportunity to consult with in-house experts and to access mainly Tribunal databases for the purposes of their local war crimes investigations and prosecutions.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“However, we ask the authorities to redouble their efforts against fugitive networks. We continue to support the full implementation of the Bosnia and Herzegovina National War Crimes Strategy. While an important development, we encourage courts dealing with war crimes cases at all levels of the judicial system to further improve their working relationships. Coordinated strategies for war crimes prosecutions are also important among the States of the former Yugoslavia. Currently, barriers to extraditing suspects and transferring evidence across State borders are impeding efforts to establish accountability for war crimes throughout the region. Solutions must be found to these problems as a matter of urgency. This brings me to the third priority, namely, building the capacity of our counterparts in the region of the former Yugoslavia.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“The key outstanding issue remains our request for important military documents relating to Operation Storm. The task force established by the Government to locate or account for the missing military documents has now started working on exploring new investigative avenues identified by my Office more than one year ago. However, the reports sent to our Office by the authorities reveal inconsistencies and raise questions that have not been resolved. After I submitted my written report to the Council, the authorities sent an additional report to our Office identifying a number of the problematic areas. We encourage Croatia to address those problems and to account for the missing documents. When it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, again we have seen satisfactory responses to our requests for assistance.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“At the heart of that more proactive approach should be a comprehensive strategy that integrates all relevant actors and covers all possible angles for exerting positive pressure towards the arrests. For example, in addition to the search activities, there must be a rigorous approach to dealing with individuals or networks that support the fugitives in their efforts to evade justice. The Serbian authorities must clearly signal that those who harbour the fugitives will be punished. Serbia holds the key to arresting Ratko Mladie and Goran HadZie. Those fugitives can be brought to justice if all relevant actors are sufficiently committed and effectively work together to bring it about. When it comes to Croatia, the authorities are generally responsive to our requests for assistance.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“However, Serbia's failure to capture the two remaining fugitives - Ratko Mladie and Goran Hadiie - is one of our foremost concerns. Serbia must bridge the gap between its stated commitment to the arrests and the effectiveness of its operations on the ground. Time is passing, and we are not seeing results. In our last completion strategy report (S/2010/270), we made a number of recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of Serbia's efforts to capture the fugitives. In my trip to Serbia this past November, I saw that the authorities are working on the implementation of our recommendations. But there is still much left to be done, and the progress must be faster. Overall, Serbia needs to adopt a more proactive approach to arresting the fugitives.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“To cope with the extra work, we have had to stretch thinner the existing resources in our Office and use them in a more flexible way. Our Office is working at maximum capacity. The increasingly frequent rates of staff departures, particularly in the critical final phase of our cases, means that we must ask more and more of those who remain. The dedication of staff in our Office is notable, and through their efforts we have been able to proceed with our cases as required. The second priority I want to mention today is securing the cooperation of States. When it comes to Serbia, cooperation in our ongoing cases is proceeding well. Serbia is facilitating our requests for access to documents and archives, and witness related issues are being handled satisfactorily.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“In my remarks today, I will emphasize our Office's top four current priorities. First, we are focused on the successful and efficient completion of our trials and appeals. The Council has a large volume of information on the progress of the Tribunal's cases before it in the reports submitted by the President (ibid., annex I) and by our Office (ibid., annex II). We are moving ahead, and several milestones were reached in the current reporting period. Two trials and one appeal case were concluded. Two other trials reached their final stage and are scheduled for completion early next year, and the Prosecution concluded the presentation of its evidence in two further trials. Another case, Haradinaj et al, has been remitted for a partial retrial.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“As we have explained in our completion strategy reports over the years, culminating in our present report (see S/2010/588), there are many reasons for that. International criminal justice is a complex and unpredictable endeavour. Nevertheless, I take responsibility for the delays that can be attributed to the Office of the Prosecutor. We assure the Council that we are continuously reflecting on our performance and devising strategies to further improve the efficiency of our work. We understand that the international community has finite resources and many competing priorities. We reiterate our commitment to ensuring that the international community's investment in justice and accountability in the former Yugoslavia pays maximum dividends within an acceptable time frame.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: Once again, it is my duty and pleasure to address the Security Council on the progress of the Office of the Prosecutor towards the completion of the Tribunal's mandate. We have our eyes firmly fixed on the completion of our activities. Our challenge is to finalize our work expeditiously while at the same time preserving the integrity of our proceedings and the overall interests of justice. Everyone present today has a common interest in striking the right balance between those two important objectives. I am conscious of the fact that the original deadline for completion of the Tribunal's work - the end of 2010 - will pass us by while we are still occupied with multiple trials and appeals.”
2010-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6434 (2010) · source
“Since then, an important number of high-level accused have been tried in The Hague and progress has been made in domestic war-crimes prosecutions. However, the human tragedy of the war is still a vivid memory. As Victims, the peoples of the former Yugoslavia and the international community continue to seek justice. That painful chapter of recent history can be properly closed only when all those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law have been brought to trial. Therefore, there can be no alternative to the immediate arrest of the two remaining fugitives, Mladie and Hadzie. I thank the Council very much for its continued support.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“Despite the slippage in the trial schedule and the fact that additional expenditure may be required, we are nevertheless continuing to follow a strict policy of decreasing staff levels as trials end. In the longer term, our eyes are also now on the eventual closure of the Tribunal and what lies beyond. As our final trial work progresses in The Hague, discussions with the Working Group on the creation of a future regional mechanism are well under way. I welcome efforts already undertaken and important progress made in this regard by the Austrian chairmanship, the members of the Working Group and the Secretariat. In July, in will be 15 years since the genocide that took place in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“However, further efforts are necessary if there is to be a coordinated approach to war crimes prosecutions across the region. As the High Representative, Mr. Inzko, said in this Chamber a few weeks ago (see S/PV.6319), recent conciliatory gestures from political leaders in the region have led to the creation of a space for new and constructive dialogue. It is only in such an environment, devoid of provocation, that the prosecutors and courts can do their work and further build upon the work of the Tribunal. As announced last year, the Office of the Prosecutor has begun downsizing. In line with the step- by-step progress in trials and appeals, we have abolished 22 posts so far.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“As forecast in my last report, we have now completed the transfer of cases and investigation files to courts and prosecution offices in the region. There is still a regular exchange of information and knowledge in relation to this material. We also continue to support ongoing cooperation and capacity-building projects. In this regard, I would specifically like to record my gratitude to the European Union for extending the funding of the successful project of liaison prosecutors and young professionals from the region who work in my Office. I also encourage all authorities in the region to strengthen regional cooperation in order to address war crimes cases. I note recent improvement in certain areas and the conclusion of important judicial cooperation agreements.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“We welcome the assistance provided by the Office of the High Representative and other international organizations in this regard. 9 With regard to judicial proceedings, my office supports national prosecutions and the important work of the Special Department of War Crimes in the Office of the State Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We strongly encourage the authorities and the international community to carry on providing the necessary support for the prosecution of war crimes cases. My Office continues to provide assistance to national prosecutors in order to ensure the transition to domestic prosecution of war crimes cases. Building the capacity of local courts to try war crimes is not only critical to the success of the Tribunal's completion strategy and legacy, but also essential for lasting justice.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“During the past weeks, I have been assured by the authorities that the administrative investigation will pursue additional leads and expand its work, as suggested by my office one year ago. I hope that these activities will result in effective action and concrete results. While the matter remains before the Trial Chamber, I await the results of these efforts by Croatia to see whether Croatia intensifies its administrative investigation and fully accounts for the missing documents before the end of the trial. The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to respond adequately to our requests for assistance. I continue to encourage the authorities to take all necessary measures against the networks supporting fugitives.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“I reiterated to the ministers that the support of the European Union in securing the cooperation of States has not only been extremely effective in the past but will remain essential in the future. During this reporting period, Croatia has generally been responsive to our requests for assistance. However, the issue of missing important documents related to Operation Storm in 1995 remains outstanding. In October 2009, Croatia established an inter-agency task force to take over its administrative investigation. While there has been a general improvement in the quality of the interviews conducted, no full account of the whereabouts of the important missing documents has been provided. In addition, key investigative avenues remain unexplored.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“10-41106 The arrest of the fugitives Mladic' and Hadzie remains the highest priority for my office. Since my last report, operational services in Serbia continue their efforts to search for the fugitives. However, these efforts have thus far produced few tangible results. We therefore strongly believe that Serbia's current operational strategies need to be reviewed. We have recently asked Serbian authorities to step up search efforts by broadening their investigation, intensifying search operations and increasing their operational capacity. Decisive and intensified action by the operational services and political authorities is critical to attaining the arrest of the two fugitives. I expressed these concerns at the European Union's Foreign Affairs Council on 14 June.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“To fulfil our mandate and meet completion strategy goals, my Office continues to rely on the cooperation of States and international organizations. Over the past six months, Serbia has continued to respond adequately to our requests for assistance by providing access to documents, archives and witnesses. At this moment, there are no outstanding requests. The Serbian authorities have provided notebooks containing the handwritten wartime notes of Ratko Mladie and associated tapes. These were seized during a search operation conducted by the action team in charge of tracking fugitives in February 2010. The valuable, voluminous material recovered is currently being analysed, and we have sought and will continue to seek its introduction as evidence in several trials.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“Moreover, the Chamber's findings are further confirmation that those found guilty in the Popovie case worked under the orders of other indictees, such as Ratko Mladic', who remains at large. The Popovie judgement confirming that genocide occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina reminds us once again of the urgent need to bring Ratko Mladie to justice. Despite the various achievements made in moving the trial forwards, it is regrettable to see slippage in the trial programme. Trials of this nature are complex and beset by a broad range of legal and practical difficulties, many of which are beyond our control. We nevertheless remain committed to the expeditious and efficient completion of our work, while respecting the fairness of proceedings.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“case for crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims during and after the fall of the Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves in July 1995. The Trial Chamber convicted seven former high-ranking Bosnian Serb military and police officials of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Among those convicted, Popovie and Beara were found guilty of genocide, extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity and of murder as a violation of the laws or customs of war. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment. Drago Nikolic' was convicted of aiding and abetting these crimes and was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment. It is an important judgement first of all for the victims of those crimes, but also for other cases of the Tribunal and, I hope, for the prosecution of lower- and mid-level accused in the former Yugoslavia.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“Mr. Brammertz: It is a privilege once again to address the Council on the progress we are making in the Office of the Prosecutor to complete the Tribunal's mandate. The report before the Council (8/2010/270) is our thirteenth, and for my Office it marks a significant step forward in achieving the completion strategy objectives, especially in finishing trials, securing the cooperation of States and accelerating the downsizing process. For the first time since the implementation of the completion strategy, I can report that we have no more trials at the pre-trial stage. The cases of all the accused we have in custody are now in the active trial phase. Nine cases, involving 18 accused, are on trial. On 10 June, the Trial Chamber delivered what we consider to be a milestone judgement in the Popovie et al.”
2010-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6342 (2010) · source
“Over the next two years, there will be a reduction of 60 per cent of staff positions within the Office of the Prosecutor. In the meantime, prosecution trial and appeals teams will continue to work at maximum capacity to ensure that trials proceed expeditiously and in accordance with the completion strategy. I thank members for their attention. On behalf of everyone in our Office, I would like to express my appreciation for the Council's ongoing support of our work.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“State prosecutors are encouraged to maintain an open dialogue and to find ways to cooperate in the most efficient and professional manner possible. Downsizing mechanisms have been agreed and communicated to staff and will be implemented starting 1 January 2010. Initial staff reductions in the Office of the Prosecutor will start immediately in the new year and will increase throughout the year, reflecting the completion of trials. My Office's budget proposal for 2010-2011, which was discussed with the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, proposed a series of cuts in staff numbers as trials are completed. Specifically, we have called for a nearly 40 per cent reduction in the Office of the Prosecutor as trials end over the course of the next year, including abolishing one of the two director posts within my Office.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“This project was set up jointly by my Office and the European Commission. In June, three prosecutors from the region - one from Bosnia and Herzegovina, one from Croatia and one from Serbia - began working as liaison prosecutors within my Office. Domestic prosecutors have to continue the work that my Office had originally undertaken, for instance, by working on cases and material that have been transferred to the region. As I have indicated in the past, national prosecution services and judiciaries continue to face significant legal obstacles and challenges with regard to the prosecution of war crimes. The prohibition on extraditing nationals to other States threatens successful investigations and prosecutions, as do legal barriers to the transfer of war crimes cases between States.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“There will also be serious repercussions for the Tribunal's work, since they also act on investigative material transferred by my Office. Immediate action is needed. My Office will soon complete the hand-over of investigative files to prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. In addition to the rule 11 bis cases transferred on the basis of judicial decisions, in total my Office has handed over 17 investigative files involving 43 suspects to authorities throughout the former Yugoslavia. A fundamental aspect of the Tribunal's completion strategy is the strengthening of the judicial systems in the States of the former Yugoslavia. As a concrete example, I would like to mention the successful project for national prosecutors and young professionals from the former Yugoslavia.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“These and all other available investigative steps must be urgently undertaken in order to complete a comprehensive and credible investigation into locating the missing documents. Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to respond to all prosecution requests. My Office interacts on a regular basis with the Special Department for War Crimes of the State Court. I am, however, concerned about the possible departure of international personnel and support staff from the Special Department for War Crimes. Despite repeated requests from judicial institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the mandates of international staff ending in December have not been renewed due to the lack of political will. If this matter is not urgently addressed, ongoing trial proceedings and war crimes investigations could be jeopardized.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“With regard to Croatia, we continue to work on a regular basis with the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the State Prosecutor, which are assisting in responding to the prosecution's requests. The central issue of concern remains the still unresolved request to locate and obtain key military documents related to Operation Storm of 1995. I welcome, however, the personal initiative of the Prime Minister of Croatia to establish in October an inter-agency task force aimed at locating these documents, particularly as there had been virtually no activity in the administrative investigation since my last briefing to the Security Council in June (see S/PV.6134). A report of the task force received this week is helpful in revealing gaps in the administrative investigation and in identifying further investigative steps to be taken.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“Prosecution requests to access documents and archives are being dealt with more expeditiously and effectively. It is important that the authorities continue to provide that level of assistance, which will remain crucial during current and future trial and appeals work. The most critical aspect of Serbia's cooperation is the need to apprehend the fugitives. My Office recognizes the professionalism and commitment of operational services tasked with the tracking of fugitives. I am in regular and direct contact with officials in charge of these operations. These services are now working more efficiently and in a coordinated manner. Moreover, a variety of operational activities, including search operations, are currently being conducted. Serbia must maintain these efforts with the clear objective of apprehending the fugitives.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source
“Plans have been implemented to transfer posts and necessary resources to the Appeals Section of my Office in order to address that increased workload. As a result, my Office is fully prepared to meet the work as appeals hearings increase in number and continue into 2013. The cooperation of States remains a key condition to the successful accomplishment of our mandate and to meeting the completion strategy goals. In recent weeks, I met with the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia at the political, judicial and operational levels to assess their level of cooperation with my Office. The purpose of the missions was also to further our relations with national prosecution services. Since the last briefing to the Council, Serbia's cooperation with my Office has continued to progress.”
2009-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6228 (2009) · source