Bridging the Gap - Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina | International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

Read the Conference Proceedings
Exhibit photos showing a murder perpetrated by Goran Jelisić
Exhibit photograph of a mass grave in the area of Brčko

Brčko is a port town located on the Sava River in the northeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In April 1992, Serb forces took control of the strategically positioned municipality which connected Serb-held areas in western Bosnia and Croatia with eastern Bosnia and Serbia.

In a systematic campaign targeting non-Serbs, Serb forces expelled Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims residents from their homes and detained hundreds of civilians at various locations in the city. In detention camps like “Luka” detainees were systematically killed, tortured, beaten and otherwise mistreated.

“ If it was not for the courage of victims and witnesses who were prepared to come forward and tell their story, then we could not hope to do our job properly. ”
Bernard O'Donnell,
Investigations Team Leader,
ICTY Office of the Prosecutor

The conference in Brčko enabled the Tribunal to provide key stakeholders – victims’ associations, municipal authorities, judicial officials and law enforcement agencies, as well as local politicians and civil society representatives – with a detailed and comprehensive picture of the Tribunal’s activities in relation to allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law occurring in the area during the 1992-1995 armed conflict.

Making extensive use of evidence presented in the cases, representatives from the Tribunal were able to give an insight into the meticulous and painstaking investigations conducted by the Tribunal and to explain how allegations of murder, beatings, rape, inhumane conditions and theft from civilians were proven before the court.

In the Goran Jelisić and Ranko Češić cases the two defendants were both found guilty of violations of the laws or customs of war and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 40 and 18 years' imprisonment, respectively.

Reactions of the audience highlighted the need to persist with efforts to bring to justice perpetrators of all crimes, regardless of the nationality of the victims or the perpetrators. ICTY representatives reiterated the Tribunal’s preparedness to continue to do all it can to assist domestic authorities in bringing further prosecutions.

The full report contains a summary of proceedings using the transcripts from the day,
including opening remarks, presentations from Tribunal staff, photographs used as
evidence in the cases and questions from the audience.

Goran Jelisić case

Ranko Češić case