The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has been presented with the 2018 Mostar Peace Connection Award by the Center for Peace and Multi-ethnic Cooperation (the Centre) from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his capacity as the last President of the ICTY, Judge Carmel Agius of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) accepted the award on Monday, 23 July, during a ceremony held in Mostar. The Peace Connection Award was also posthumously presented to the ICTY's first President, Judge Antonio Cassese.

Today, Judge Theodor Meron, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, issued the following statement to mark the Day of International Criminal Justice:

“The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda were true pioneers. The first international criminal courts of the modern era, the creation of these Tribunals in the early 1990s reflected the emergence of a new commitment by the international community to ending impunity for serious violations of international law.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) organized and hosted a Security and Safety Services Open Day at the Mechanism’s premises in Arusha on 13 July 2018 to launch its Gender Strategy Initiative. The Gender Strategy Initiative represents the Mechanism’s commitment to the implementation of the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS) Gender Equality Strategy. The event marked the opening of a series of workshops, which will run from October to December 2018 at the Mechanism’s Arusha branch.

As part of the commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, today, the Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Mr. Olufemi Elias, paid his respect to the victims and delivered remarks during the commemoration ceremony at the Potočari memorial in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Judge Theodor Meron, today issued the following statement to mark the 23rd commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide:

The Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Mr. Olufemi Elias, will be on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), from 10 to 12 July 2018.

On 11 July, Registrar Elias will attend the commemoration ceremony of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide at the Potočari memorial centre, where he will deliver remarks and pay his respects to the victims.

The United Nations Security Council, by resolution 2422 (2018), has reappointed Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to a new term as Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), with effect from 1 July 2018 until 30 June 2020.

Prosecutor Brammertz has served as Prosecutor of the Mechanism since 1 March 2016. Previously, he served as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) from 1 January 2008 until its closure at the end of 2017.

On 29 June 2018, the UN Secretary-General reappointed for a new, two-year term of office all of the Judges on the roster of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) who were seeking reappointment except Judge Aydin Sefa Akay of Turkey.

The United Nations Secretary-General has appointed Judge Theodor Meron to a new term as President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), effective 1 July 2018, and expiring on 18 January 2019. Judge Carmel Agius was appointed President of the Mechanism effective 19 January 2019 until 30 June 2020.

The Secretary-General also reappointed 23 of the 24 Judges of the Mechanism who were seeking reappointment for a new, two-year term, commencing on 1 July 2018 and expiring on 30 June 2020.  

Mechanism Prosecutor Serge Brammertz visited Kigali on 27 and 28 June for regular discussions with Rwandan authorities. The Prosecutor met with Minister of Justice Johnston Busingye and Prosecutor General Jean Bosco Mutangana, as well as members of the diplomatic community. He also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial and paid his respects to the victims.