United Nations Security Council Resolution 1534

United Nations Security Council resolution 1534, adopted unanimously on 26 March 2004, after recalling resolutions 827 (1993), 955 (1994), 978 (1995), 1165 (1998), 1166 (1998), 1329 (2000), 1411 (2002), 1431 (2002) and 1481 (2003), the Council called on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to complete all trial activities by the end of 2008.[1]

UN Security Council
Resolution 1534
Ratko Mladić who was indicted by the ICTY
Date26 March 2004
Meeting no.4,935
CodeS/RES/1534 (Document)
SubjectThe International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
Voting summary
  • 15 voted for
  • None voted against
  • None abstained
ResultAdopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members
Non-permanent members
← 1533 Lists of resolutions 1535 →

Resolution edit

Observations edit

The Security Council commended the progress both tribunals had made in contributing to peace and security in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. It envisaged, in accordance with Resolution 1503 (2004), the completion of ICTY and ICTR investigations by 2004, trials by the end of 2008 and all work in 2010. There was concern that the completion strategies for both tribunals could not be implemented.

Acts edit

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council called on all states, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro and the Republic Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina to co-operate with the ICTY with regard to Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić and Ante Gotovina. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and the Republic of the Congo, among other states, were requested to co-operate with the ICTR with regard to Félicien Kabuga and the Rwandan Patriotic Army. The council, emphasising the importance of implementing the completion strategies, asked the prosecutors to review their caseloads and determine which cases to proceed with and those to defer to national jurisdictions, while prioritising the trials of senior leaders.[2] Both tribunals were asked to report every six months on progress towards implementing the completion strategies.[3]

The resolution praised countries that had concluded agreements for enforcing the sentences of persons convicted by the ICTR and ICTY and encouraged others to do so. It noted that strengthening national judicial systems was crucial to the implementation of the completion strategies. Finally, the Council welcomed efforts to establish a war crimes chamber in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and to ensure the success of domestic prosecutions in the country.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Security Council calls on tribunals for Yugoslavia, Rwanda to review caseloads, take other steps to complete trial activities by 2008". United Nations. 26 March 2004.
  2. ^ Schabas, William (2006). The UN international criminal tribunals: the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. Cambridge University Press. p. 408. ISBN 978-0-521-84657-8.
  3. ^ Bohlander, Michael (2007). International criminal justice: a critical analysis of institutions and procedures. Cameron May. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-905017-44-7.

External links edit