War crimes cases 'floundering', says prosecutor
The prosecutor for the war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has said the cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina are “floundering”.
Serge Brammertz expressed serious concern to the United Nations Security Council that very little progress has been made toward finalising nine of the 13 major cases transferred to Bosnia’s state court.
Mr Brammertz also said the state court’s unconditional release of 12 people convicted of serious crimes, including genocide in some cases, pending correction of their sentences, “poses a threat to the proper conclusion of the cases and undermines public confidence in the administration of justice”.
Bosnia’s UN ambassador Mirsada Colakovic said the country’s commitment to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes “is unquestionable” and the government was working on increasing the number of completed cases.
