Justice for crimes against Humanity in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Human Rights Watch publicou hoxe un informe de 74 páxinas sobre o retraso acumulado nos xuízos por xenocidio, crimes de guerra e crimes contra a Humanidade en Bosnia e Hercegovina.

O informe leva por título “Still Waiting: Bringing Justice for War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, and Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Cantonal and District Courts”. Copio un extracto da súa introducción:

Since the end of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina1 more than a dozen years ago, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has made progress in trying many of the leading figures responsible for the crimes committed during the 1992-95 war. These crimes included widespread and serious crimes against civilians, prisoners of war, and civilian property. Killing, torture, rape, forcible displacement, and indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilian targets were commonplace. Though several key indictees still remain at large, the trials at the ICTY have sent a powerful message that leaders who are responsible for the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide must face justice for their crimes.

The ICTY, however, was not intended to “preclude or prevent” domestic trials for crimes under international law. Indeed, by the time it completes its mandate, the ICTY will have tried a relatively small number of the perpetrators. At the same time, for reasons detailed in this report, domestic Bosnian efforts at ensuring legal accountability for the remaining perpetrators have made slow progress. As a result, many years after the conflict, several thousand complaints related to crimes committed during the war remain unresolved in Bosnia. These cases may involve extremely grave crimes and many people who are responsible for directly perpetrating atrocities. Victims of these crimes, and their families, have been waiting for more than a decade to see justice done. The international community made a commitment to victims to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice when it created the ICTY. It is vital that authorities in Bosnia, as well as the international community, take the necessary steps to follow through on this commitment.

Trials for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide have been held in Bosnia’s two entities: Republika Srpska (RS) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Federation). But these trials before cantonal (in the Federation) and district courts (in Republika Srpska) have proceeded slowly in the years since the end of the war. This problem was in no small amount due to a lack of political will to try sensitive cases such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide, especially where perpetrators were members of the local majority group. [...]