ARREST OF RATKO MLADIC & GORAN HADZIC REMAINS "THE HIGHEST PRIORITY"
The chief U.N. prosecutor for former Yugoslavia, Serge Brammertz, told the U.N. Security Council today that the arrest of the tribunal's last two fugitivies — Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic — are his "highest priority." Here are some excerpts from Mr. Brammertz address before the Security Council:
"On 10 June 2010, the Trial Chamber delivered what we consider to be a milestone judgement in the Popović et al. case for crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims during and after the fall of the Srebrenica and Žepa 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, Vujadin Popović and Ljubiša Beara were found guilty of genocide, extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity and murder as a violation of the laws and customs of war. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment. Drago Nikolić was convicted for aiding and abetting these crimes and was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment.
It is an important judgement, first of all, for the victims of these crimes, for the other cases of the Tribunal, and, I hope, for the prosecution of lower and mid-level accused in the former Yugoslavia. Moreover, the Chamber’s findings are further confirmation that those found guilty in the Popović case worked under the orders of other indictees, such as Ratko Mladić, who remains at large. The Popović judgement confirming that genocide occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina reminds us once again of the urgent need to bring Ratko Mladić to justice."
".... The arrest of the fugitives Mladić and Hadžić remains the highest priority for my Office. Since my last report, operational services in Serbia continued 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 investigations, intensifying search operations and increasing their operational capacity. Decisive and intensified action by the operational services and political authorities is critical for obtaining the arrest of the two fugitives."
".... In July, it will be 15 years since the genocide which took place in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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. The painful chapter of recent history can only properly be closed 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 fugitives."
"On 10 June 2010, the Trial Chamber delivered what we consider to be a milestone judgement in the Popović et al. case for crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims during and after the fall of the Srebrenica and Žepa 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, Vujadin Popović and Ljubiša Beara were found guilty of genocide, extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity and murder as a violation of the laws and customs of war. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment. Drago Nikolić was convicted for aiding and abetting these crimes and was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment.
It is an important judgement, first of all, for the victims of these crimes, for the other cases of the Tribunal, and, I hope, for the prosecution of lower and mid-level accused in the former Yugoslavia. Moreover, the Chamber’s findings are further confirmation that those found guilty in the Popović case worked under the orders of other indictees, such as Ratko Mladić, who remains at large. The Popović judgement confirming that genocide occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina reminds us once again of the urgent need to bring Ratko Mladić to justice."
".... The arrest of the fugitives Mladić and Hadžić remains the highest priority for my Office. Since my last report, operational services in Serbia continued 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 investigations, intensifying search operations and increasing their operational capacity. Decisive and intensified action by the operational services and political authorities is critical for obtaining the arrest of the two fugitives."
".... In July, it will be 15 years since the genocide which took place in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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. The painful chapter of recent history can only properly be closed 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 fugitives."
posted by Srebrenica Genocide at 10:02 PM
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