Yearbook of the United Nations, 2004. Part 4, Legal questions. Chapter 2, International tribunals

Abstract

Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (ICTY) completed remaining investigations and subsequently filed indictments for war crimes, thereby meeting the first of three deadlines set out in its 2002 completion strategy to accomplish its mandate by 2010. The other two deadlines were to complete first instance trials by 2008 and the rest of its work by 2010. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994 (ICTR) formalized and revised its completion strategy, based on the same objectives and targets as those of ICTY. It met its first deadline of completing investigations by year's end. Both Tribunals focused efforts during the year on the implementation of other deadlines under their respective completion strategies. In May and November progress reports, they detailed specific measures being taken in that regard and potential obstacles. In August, the Security Council encouraged them to remain on track for meeting the relevant target dates. In related developments, the Office of the Prosecutor of ICTY developed measures to enhance its operations and streamline its procedures under the leadership of a new Deputy Prosecutor and a new Chief of Prosecutions, while the Registrar, mandated to support and facilitate the work of ICTY's other organs, began to implement an action plan to enforce sentences. ICTY also made efforts to increase the cooperation of relevant countries, which resulted in numerous arrests and a number of fugitive surrenders. In October, the review functions performed by the ICTY Prosecutor, which had enabled the Tribunal to oversee prosecutions by national authorities under the 1996 Rome Agreement (known as the “Rules of the Road”),were transferred to the State Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In November, the General Assembly elected 14 permanent judges to ICTY, to replace those whose terms would expire in November 2005. During the year, ICTR achieved its full complement of nine ad litem judges, which enabled it to initiate four new trials and to maintain its 2003 record of five trial judgements within a single year. To further facilitate its work, ICTR established an Appeals Section in the Office of the Prosecutor and enhanced its tracking activities to ensure that as many fugitives as possible were arrested in good time to enable trials to be completed before the end of 2008.