On this International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), its Judges and staff join the Rwandan people to remember the over 800,000 men, women and children who were murdered in just 100 days. Together, we reflect on the dangers of discrimination, hate and genocide ideology. And together, we renew our commitment to peace, reconciliation and the prevention of genocide.

The closing arguments in the case of Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović before the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) will take place on Monday, 12 April 2021, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 and Wednesday, 14 April 2021 in the Courtroom of the Mechanism's Hague branch, pursuant to the Scheduling Order issued by the Trial Chamber on 18 March 2021.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) is deeply saddened by the passing of H.E. Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania), on Wednesday, 17 March 2021. It joins the international community in conveying its heartfelt sympathy to the family of President Magufuli, the Vice-President of Tanzania, H.E Samia Suluhu Hassan, and the Government and people of Tanzania.

The trial in the contempt case of Prosecutor v. Maximilien Turinabo et al. (MICT-18-116-T) before the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) will resume before Judge Vagn Joensen, the Single Judge assigned to the case, on Monday, 8 March 2021 at 10.00 a.m. EAT and 8.00 a.m. CEST at the Mechanism’s Arusha branch, with Defence oral arguments for judgement of acquittal pursuant to Rule 121 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. The response from the Prosecution will be heard on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 starting at 10.00 a.m.

Today the Mechanism Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP) was pleased to launch the Mechanism’s 2020 Essay Volume. This publication compiles the winning essays of law students who participated in an essay writing competition as part of the first cycle of the Mechanism’s Inter-University Video Lectures Programme, entitled ‘International Law and Facts Established before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia’ (ICTY).

On 19 February 2021, the Mechanism’s Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP) held an online lecture for students from Pristina and Belgrade on the ICTY trials regarding the crimes committed in Kosovo during 1998 and 1999. The lecture was held as part of the second cycle of Kosovo School, a series of educational and visiting programs for young people interested in politics, media, law, history and other social science. The lecture is supported by the Mechanism and was organised by the Heartefact Fund from Belgrade, Serbia.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Mechanism Judge Gberdao Gustave Kam of Burkina Faso.

On 11 February 2021, the Mechanism Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP) held an online lecture for a group of 115 young people from Serbia on the trials regarding the Srebrenica Genocide before the ICTY and the Mechanism. The lecture is supported by the Mechanism, and was organised by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia, Forum ZFD Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina.

On 13 January 2021, the Mechanism Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP) held a lecture and online workshop on the use of the ICTY and Mechanism archives for a group of 25 PhD and Master’s level history students from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade, Serbia.