ICTY Chief Prosecutor Wants Better Regional Cooperation

Brammertz is in Sarajevo preparing for his annual report to the UN Security Council and he met the members of the Bosnian tripartite presidency, the high representative of the international community, as well as judicial institutions and victims associations.

At his meeting with the members of the Bosnian presidency Brammertz talked about the need to sign a protocol on exchange of evidence in war crimes cases between Bosnia and Serbia.

Serbia’s Office for War Crimes Prosecution and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina drew up the “Protocol on Cooperation in the Prosecution of Perpetrators of War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide” last year.

However the protocol has not been signed yet since the Bosnian presidency had not given its consent.

According to the protocol, war crimes trials would be held in the country where a suspect or a defendant resides.

“The regional cooperation is the main purpose of my visit, but during my meeting with the Bosnian State prosecution we will also talk about progress of cases that the Hague Tribunal transferred to courts in Bosnia, where so far we have limited progress,“ said Brammertz.

Barmmertz also met with Jadranka Lokmic-Misiraca, the acting Chief prosecutor of the Bosnian prosecution and prosecutors working on war crimes, but the spokesperson for this institution declined to give any details.

During his meeting with the High Representative, Valentin Inzko, Brammertz highlighted the importance of the prosecution of war crimes cases for reconciliation and stability in Bosnia and the region adding that citizens have the right to see justice done.

“The High Representative and the ICTY Chief Prosecutor also expressed their strong support for the State Court and Prosecutor’s office and highlighted the need for entity institutions to further develop mechanisms and capacities to try war crimes cases”, a press release from the Office of the High representative stated.

The UN Security Council will review Brammertz’s report in December this year.