The Chief Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Serge Brammertz, held talks on Tuesday in Sarajevo with representatives of victims’ associations regarding war crimes, the archives of the Hague Tribunal, and the fate of convicted war criminals, including requests for the release of Ratko Mladić, while victims stated that there is “no freedom” for genocide convicts.
The Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Serge Brammertz, met in Sarajevo with representatives of the “Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves” and the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide, focusing on the archives of The Hague Tribunal, the prosecution of war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, and genocide denial.
“As you know, I come once or twice a year, primarily to meet with the victims here in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Brammertz said.
He added that earlier during the visit, he spoke with representatives of the diplomatic corps and the Chief Prosecutor, noting that topics included the national strategy for war crimes prosecution and more than 1,000 unresolved cases against unknown perpetrators.
“We also discussed that very awkward situation where hundreds of war crimes suspects, accused of crimes committed on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are living freely in other countries – Serbia and Croatia,” Brammertz said.
He emphasized that one of the key issues is the attitude toward the archives of the Hague Tribunal, as well as matters concerning convicted war criminals.
“We talked about the work of the prosecutor’s offices, with which we are likely not satisfied and which should probably be much better. We also discussed some things outside of my jurisdiction, but we talked about them nonetheless. This includes the issue of the archives as well as the request for Ratko Mladić’s release,” he reminded.
He added that the Mechanism’s mandate expires in June, and that its continuation will be discussed in the United Nations Security Council.
“However, what we see is a need for the continuation of the Mechanism’s work in terms of assisting the prosecutor’s offices here in the region,” Brammertz said.
The President of the “Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves” Movement, Munira Subašić, stated after the meeting that the focus was on three key topics, including the Hague Tribunal archives and the status of convicted war criminals.
“I have met with Brammertz hundreds of times, but I have never been more satisfied with the outcome of a meeting than I am now,” she emphasized, thanking Brammertz for his advocacy for genocide victims.
She stated that they discussed three things at today’s meeting, including the archives and the building located in The Hague.
She emphasized that she was explicitly against any release of Ratko Mladić.
“He must remain there for life because that is where he belongs. Even when he dies, he will have a grave, and his children will know where it is, but what about the mothers who died without finding a single bone of their loved ones?” Subašić said.
They also discussed the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We are not satisfied with them. The Prosecutor’s Office has turned into politics, and the Chief Prosecutor is a manipulator,” Subašić added.
The Serbian Minister of Justice, Nenad Vujić, visited Ratko Mladić at the end of April in the hospital of the detention unit in The Hague and requested the Mechanism to release the former wartime commander of the Army of Republika Srpska for medical treatment while at liberty, submitting a guarantee from the government in Belgrade.
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) in The Hague rejected in July of last year Mladić’s request for a provisional release of seven days to visit a grave and attend a memorial service following the recent death of a family member.
Ratko Mladić, the wartime commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Hague Tribunal in 2017. The sentence became final following the second-instance verdict in 2021.
Mladić was found guilty of genocide (on two counts), crimes against humanity (on five counts), and war crimes (on four counts), which he committed in his capacity as the highest-ranking general of the Army of Republika Srpska with the goal of creating Republika Srpska.
He evaded justice for 16 years before being arrested in Serbia in 2011, AA writes.
