| Press Release |
REGISTRY
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| (Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document) |
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The Hague, 6 September 2011
MS/MOW/1436e
Officials from the former Yugoslavia learn about Witness Protection at the Tribunal
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The Outreach Programme of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia is today facilitating a visit to the Tribunal for a group of witness protection officers, prosecutors and judicial officials from the Western Balkans, to enable them to familiarise themselves with the Tribunal’s experience of supporting and protecting witnesses.
The visit takes place as part of the EU regional project “Cooperation in Criminal Justice: Witness Protection in the Fight against Serious Crime and Terrorism (WINPRO)”, the aim of which is to strengthen cooperation between national witness protection authorities and increase the level of protection for individuals giving evidence in criminal proceedings.
“The visitors are looking forward to hearing about the ICTY itself and its co-operation with the states of the former Yugoslavia. They are particularly interested in learning about the facilities and support provided for victims and witnesses who testify at the ICTY”, said the project’s manager, Anna Bukalo.
During a series of meetings with ICTY representatives from the Victims and Witnesses Section, the group will be given insight into the Tribunal’s experiences in supporting witnesses both at pre-trial stage and during trials. The Tribunal’s staff will also share their experience of obtaining witness’ statements and protecting their identity. Other topics will include international co-operation on witness protection and how to use the Tribunal’s Judicial Database to research information on witnesses.
Strengthening the capacity of local judiciaries to adjudicate war crimes cases in accordance with the highest international standards is a cornerstone of the Tribunal’s legacy. The Outreach Programme plays a key role in facilitating the ICTY’s capacity building efforts in the region.
The Tribunal’s Outreach Programme is generously supported by the European Union.
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If you would like to support or get involved in the Tribunal’s Outreach Programme
please contact Nerma Jelačić, Head of Outreach at jelacic [at] un.org or +31 70 512 5066
For more information on Outreach, please visit:
http://www.icty.org/sections/Outreach
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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