The Principals of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) — President Graciela Gatti Santana, Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, and Registrar Abubacarr M. Tambadou — were honoured to participate in the 30thCommemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, held in Potočari, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where they paid their respects to the victims and survivors of the Genocide.
Both the President and the Prosecutor delivered remarks at the official Commemoration ceremony, along with other high-level international and national dignitaries.
President Gatti Santana observed that this milestone is a moment of grief for all who suffered and whose trauma is compounded by genocide denial; a moment for honouring the victims and survivors, including the witnesses whose courageous testimony was crucial to international criminal justice; and a moment of hope, that healing and reconciliation are possible through persistence in remembrance and education.
In his remarks, Prosecutor Brammertz emphasized that truly honouring the victims demands a firm rejection of denial of crimes and glorification of war criminals, along with continued efforts to deliver justice for all remaining victims.
In addition to today’s ceremony, the Mechanism Principals participated in a number of other commemorative events during the past week, including the conference “Srebrenica 1995-2025: Dealing with the Past”, held at the Sarajevo City Hall, and public lectures focused on the legacy of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and ongoing challenges in transitional justice. These events provided a platform for dialogue on the importance of judicially established facts in combating denial and revisionism, and underscored the continued relevance of international criminal justice mechanisms in the Western Balkans.
During their visit to BiH, the Principals also took the opportunity to engage variously with national and local government officials, representatives of civil society, victims’ groups, and international partners to reaffirm the Mechanism’s commitment to justice, accountability, and the memory of the victims. On 10 July, they held a briefing for members of the Diplomatic Corps in BiH, hosted by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH, Dr. Ingrid Macdonald, where they provided an update on the Mechanism’s current work and priorities.
The visit reflects the Mechanism’s ongoing dedication to strengthening the rule of law, supporting victims, and promoting awareness of the judicially established facts concerning the 1990s conflicts in the region of the former Yugoslavia.
