Popovic et al: the first conviction for genocide at the ICTY
Sunniva Hansson has a LL.M., and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Åland Islands Peace Institute The blog is written by the peace institute’s present or former staff, guest researchers, board members or invited guest writers. The opinions are the author’s own. Today (10 June 2010), the judgment in the so called Srebrenica trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was rendered. As the colloquial name indicates, the trial concerned the crimes committed in connection with the fall of the Eastern Bosnian enclaves of Srebrenica and Zepa in July 1995. Seven former Bosnian Serb military and police officials stood accused of eight counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Trial Chamber II of the ICTY found that in July 1995, there had been two joint criminal enterprises (JCE) – one to murder and one to forcibly remove – in which the senior Bosnian Serb military and political establishment participated. The Trial Chamber further found that opportunistic killings were committed as part of both JCEs. The Trial Chamber in Limaj et al explained JCE thus: “When a number of persons are involved in a common plan aimed at the commission of a […]