The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, today met with the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, at United Nations Headquarters
Over the last two days, the Principals of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), President Graciela Gatti Santana, Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, and Registrar Abubacarr M. Tambadou, participated in a conference entitled “30 years of the ICTY – legacy and challenges” in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, organised a round table with Judges of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the Registrar of the Court and other officials, which was held today in Sarajevo. Also in attendance were two Judges of the Mechanism, Judge Carmel Agius and Judge Margaret deGuzman, together with Judge Joanna Korner of the International Criminal Court.
I have carefully reviewed the Appeal Chamber’s decision in the Kabuga case. Its decision must be respected, even if the outcome is dissatisfying.
This result is due first and foremost to Kabuga’s flight from justice for so many years. In full knowledge of his actions before and during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, he refused to stand trial before an independent and impartial international tribunal to answer the charges against him. As a fugitive, he was harbored by his family and associates, beginning in Kenya and ending in France.
The Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism”) composed of Judge Carmel Agius (Presiding), Judge Burton Hall, Judge Liu Daqun, Judge Aminatta Lois Runeni N’gum, and Judge José Ricardo de Prada Solaesa, delivered today its decision on the appeals filed by Mr. Félicien Kabuga and the Prosecution against the Trial Chamber’s decision issued on 6 June 2023 concerning Mr. Kabuga’s unfitness to stand trial and the consequences thereof.
Today, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) was honoured to welcome to its Hague branch a delegation of 75 members of IBUKA, the umbrella organisation for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The delegation was composed primarily of IBUKA members based in the Netherlands and in Belgium, including relatives of victims of the Genocide, and the purpose of the visit was to allow them to become familiar with the work of the Mechanism, especially in relation to persons indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
