2008

15-18 Dec. 2008,
Sarajevo, BiH
Banja Luka, BiH
Belgrade, Serbia
Zagreb, Croatia

Launch events for the new ICTY website in the region

On the occasion of the launch of the new ICTY website on 10 December, ICTY Outreach organised a series of four public presentations in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with events being held in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgrade, Serbia, and Zagreb, Croatia.

All events were opened by the ICTY Deputy Registrar John Hocking, and the presentations were delivered by the Spokesperson for the ICTY Registry and Chambers (in Sarajevo and Banja Luka) and by the Chambers Legacy Officer (in Belgrade and Zagreb).

The events in Sarajevo and Banja Luka were attended by approximately 70 guests. In Banja Luka the Republika Srpska (RS) Government’s Secretariat for Cooperation with the ICTY was co-organiser and hosted the event in the RS Government’s Building.

In Belgrade the event was prepared in partnership with the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY (NCC) who hosted the event in the Palace of Serbia. The Director of the NCC Office, Dušan Ignjatović, also gave a speech.

In Zagreb the Croatian Deputy State Prosecutor also addressed the audience. Media reports highlighted new features of the site such as the interactive map, voice of the victims and guilty pleas.

The events were organized by the ICTY Outreach, with the help of the RS Government’s Secretariat for Cooperation with the ICTY (Banja Luka) and the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY  (Belgrade)

> the four events gathered some 200 leading representatives of the media, judiciary, government institutions, academia, NGOs, diplomatic community, international organisations, and ICTY defence counsel from the BiH Federation and Republika Srpska, Serbia and Croatia

27 Nov. 2008, The Hague

Visit of Sandžak local leaders

Local leaders from South-Western Serbia (Sandžak), mainly consisting of local authority and NGO representatives, visited the Tribunal as part of a Dutch NGO project to strengthen civil society in that multiethnic part of Serbia. The group learned about the mission, challenges and achievements of the Tribunal, and received a tour of the courtroom where they learnt about the technical side of conducting trials and about protection measures for witnesses.

The visit was organised by the Dutch NGO (Interkerkeljik Vredesberaad (Interchurch Peace Council) – Pax Christi (IKV-Pax Christi)

> 13 local leaders from South-West Serbia (Sandžak), including local authority and NGO representatives from Priboj and Prijepolje, and NGO representatives from Novi Pazar and Sjenica; six local authority representatives from the municipality of Putten, the Netherlands

24, 25, 27, Nov. 2008, The Hague

Training for media from South and South-Western Serbia

Senior print, broadcast and internet media representatives from South and South-Western Serbia visited the ICTY with the aim to enlarge their knowledge and practical skills to cover the ICTY-related issues and bring international justice closer to the public. The two regions were specially selected due to their mixed ethnic structure, comprising of Albanians, Bosniaks and Serbs. The organisers and participants recognised that the media in Serbia had a crucial role in the process of facing the responsibility for war crimes and coming to terms with the past. After extensive attendance of trials and meetings with senior Tribunal staff and journalists who cover the Tribunal regularly, the visit culminated with a roundtable with the ICTY spokespersons.

The visit was organised by the OSCE Mission to Serbia

> eight journalists from print, broadcast and web media, including representatives of: Radio 100+, RTV Spektri, TV Tutin, Regionalna TV, Danas, Vranjskie Novine, www.preshevo.com

20 Nov. 2008, Bihać,  Bosnia and Herzegovina

Conference on establishing facts about war crimes

Outreach participated in the conference “Establishing Facts about War Crimes”, held in Bihać. The Outreach representative spoke in the session ‘Judicial mechanisms establishing facts on war crimes’, outlining the achievements of the ICTY in establishing factual findings on crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. The conference was an opportunity for the local judges, prosecutors and activists to address issues surrounding the legacy of war crimes in this area. David Schwendiman, the Head of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor Office BiH outlined the new prosecution strategy of his Office, and a report of the initiative to establish a regional truth-seeking body was given by the head of Humanitarian Law Centre, Nataša Kandić. Prior to the conference, BiH Outreach officer took part in a television program on Cantonal TV in Bihać, discussing the activities of the ICTY and its role in addressing large scale crimes committed in BiH.

The conference was organised by ‘Izvor’, a Prijedor-based NGO

> judiciary, NGOs, journalists, academics, including David Schwendiman, the Head of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor Office, Nataša Kandić, Humanitarian Law Centre

17, 18, 20 Nov. 2008, The Hague

Visit of prosecutors from the Sarajevo Cantonal Court

Four Sarajevo cantonal prosecutors visited the Tribunal, with the aim of familiarising themselves with the institution, its jurisprudence and practicalities of work, with special regard to investigating and prosecuting complex criminal enterprises. Work with witnesses and cooperation between the regional judiciaries and the ICTY were also high on the agenda.

The visit was sponsored by the Cantonal Office of the Prosecutor of the Sarajevo Canton

> Head of Section I for General Crimes, and three prosecutors from the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo

18 Nov. 2008, The Hague

Visit of Serb community leaders from Kosovo

This visit was organized by the Serbian NGO “Fractal” as part of their “Enclavia” project where a small group of community leaders dealing with selected issues visit European institutions. This time the group included persons from the areas of Čaglavica, Gračanica and Gnjilane. This project had been ongoing for a number of years and, as in previous times, the group also visited the ICTY considering the importance of the war crimes issues for the Kosovo communities in general. The group received a general introduction to the mandate of the ICTY with assessment of its most important achievements. In addition, they received introduction to Kosovo-related cases. The ensuing discussion was lively and went well over time.

The visit was organised by the Serbian NGO Fractal

> Kosovo Serb activists from the fields of economic development, transport, culture and property repossession

14 Nov. 2008, Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Roundtable on outreach in war crimes cases

The Outreach BiH representative chaired a roundtable on the role of outreach in war crimes cases. The roundtable showed how outreach by judicial institutions and their partnerships with victim groups can assist courts in conducting investigations and trials in war crimes cases. The participants pointed to issues that hamper effective war crimes prosecutions: limited resources, crippling discrepancies between entity and state-level criminal codes, social and economic vulnerability of victims and post-war community divisions. A clear conclusion was drawn that the ICTY Outreach needed more substantive resources and institutional support to secure its capacity building efforts on the local level.

The roundtable was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

> judges and prosecutors from Doboj and Zenica, victim groups from central and northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Vive Žene (an NGO from Tuzla that offers psycho-social assistance to traumatised persons), ‘Izvor’ (a Prijedor NGO active in the search for missing persons and support to institutions dealing with war crimes); and BIRN, a network of reporters on transitional justice

13 Nov. 2008, The Hague

Visit of Croatian legal professionals

The Dutch Ministry of Justice facilitated the visit of a group of eight judges, legal academics and court advisers active in asylum matters in Zagreb, Croatia. The participants themselves asked for including the ICTY in their visit due to the importance of the war crimes issues to their community. They received a solid introduction to the ICTY, followed by the presentation of cases relating to Croatia. The participants then followed a session in the Gotovina et al. trial.

The visit was organised by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service through CARDS Twinning Project

> eight judicial professionals, including chairman of the Commission for the Asylum with four members and a lawyer in the Commission, and two advisers of the Administrative Court

10, 11  Nov. 2008, Vienna, Austria

International conference “Dealing with the Past in Western Balkans”

The conference gathered prominent experts on post-conflict transition in the former Yugoslavia. Outreach representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) delivered a presentation on the impact of the ICTY on the process of reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia, as one of the panelists in the session titled ‘Reconciliation Process 1990-2008: A Critical Reflection.' On the second day, the BiH Outreach representative took part in the panel discussion on the role of media in the process of dealing with the past which gathered prominent journalists and experts on media from the region and EU.

The conference was organised by the Vienna-based Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, an international think-tank Center for European Integration Strategies and the Italian NGO “Osservatorio sui Balcani e Caucasus”

> journalists from ex-Yugoslavia and the EU, as well as prominent experts such as the former High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Wolfgang Petritsch, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro Goran Svilanović, and the director of the Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Center Nataša Kandić

4 Nov. 2008, The Hague

Visit of Serbian students from Mitrovica

Outreach hosted a visit of Kosovo students from Mitrovica keen to learn about the work of the ICTY. They were introduced to the basic information about the institution, as well as to the cases relating to Kosovo, most notably Limaj et al., and the legacy of the unfinished trial against Slobodan Milošević was also assessed. The students watched a session of the Milutinović et al. trial, dealing with crimes committed in Kosovo. The visit was part of “European Integration and Western Balkan”project, which included a one-week study tour to the Netherlands and Belgium.

The visit was organised by the Serbian NGO Fractal and Dutch NGO Spark

> 10 Serbian students from the University of Mitrovica in Kosovo

31 Oct. 2008, The Hague

Video-conference with Iowa University

Outreach and a representative of the Office of the Prosecutor’s Appeals section participated in a video-conference with the University of Iowa undergraduate students, as part of their human rights advocacy course. The students were briefed on how and why the ICTY was established, learned about its structure and achievements, including those in supporting transitional justice efforts in ex-Yugoslavia. The Tribunal’s contribution to international criminal and human rights law were also discussed.

The event was organised in cooperation with the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights

> around 20 undergraduate students of various fields of social science

30 Oct. 2008, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Launch of series of TV debates in primetime

The first of five ICTY-related debate programs was broadcast in prime-time slot on the Federal Television (FTV), one of three public broadcasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The BiH Outreach representative took part in the program, which gathered journalists, politicians, and various activists. The debate focused on the significance and possible impact of the case against Radovan Karadžić. The debate also addressed some of the most contentious issues arising from the opposing views about the crimes committed in BiH in the 90s.

> general public in BiH Federation

21-23 Oct. 2008, The Hague

Building practical skills of Macedonian prosecutors

A group of elite prosecutors from Macedonia visited the Tribunal on a visit organised by the US Department of Justice. This practical exchange was focused on the OTP staff sharing their skills and knowledge to help the Macedonian judiciary to better handle their war crimes cases, including those whose files had been transferred from the Tribunal. The visit was also an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the ICTY and local prosecutor’s offices in Macedonia.

The visit was organised by the US Department of Justice OPDAT Programme (Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training) based in the US Embassy in Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

> four high-level Macedonian prosecutors from the Special Prosecutor’s Unit, including the Unit’s Head

21 Oct. 2008, Belgrade, Serbia

Training for youth activists

The Outreach officer conducted a training session for a group of youth activists attending a week-long “training for trainers” programme. The ICTY session raised the awareness of the participants about the most frequently debated issues in the context of the Tribunal’s work. The session also involved a practical exercise in which the participants were given tasks to speak on various topics related to the ICTY using provided materials. Spokesperson for the ICTY Prosecutor talked to the group two days later.

The training was organised by the Belgrade-based NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights

> 24 youth activists from throughout Serbia

15 Oct. 2008, Belgrade, Serbia

Informing media from South and South-West Serbia

The Outreach representative held a presentation about the ICTY for a group of journalists from the Sandžak region and South of Serbia, as part of an OSCE-organised training programme on war crimes reporting. Some of the journalists of this multi-ethnic gathering were to attend a study trip to the ICTY in late November.

The event was organised by the OSCE Mission to Serbia

> eight print, broadcast and web journalists from South and South-West Serbia, including representatives of local newspapers and TV and radio stations: Radio 100+, RTV Spektri, TV Tutin, Regionalna TV, Perspektiva Vranjskie Novine, portal preshevo.com

14 Oct. 2008, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Conference on victim and witness protection

The event aimed at raising awareness of the governing structures, civil society and general public about the issues faced by the victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ICTY was represented by an experienced Victims and Witness Protection Officer, who was one of the speakers in the session dealing with the victims and witness protection, with the BiH State Deputy Chief Prosecutor, David Schwendiman. The participants concluded that there was a need to change a number of legal provisions, and to establish a state-level fund to support women victims of war.

The conference was organized by the association “Women Victims of War” and the German NGO Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund

> NGOs, media, general public, BiH State Deputy Prosecutor

7 Oct. 2008, The Hague

Visit of students from Kosovo, Serbia and the Netherlands

This short visit, organised by a Dutch NGO within their “Our Future – European Integration” Programme, was an opportunity for students from Serbia, Kosovo and the Netherlands to increase their understanding of the ICTY’s mandate and objectives. They also received briefings about cases currently on trial with a special focus on those related to the Kosovo conflict. There were separate sessions on two completed Kosovo cases: Milošević and Limaj et al. Finally, the students made use of the opportunity to follow trials live.

The visit was organised by the Dutch NGO IKV-Pax Christi

> 16 students, including four from Serbia, six from Kosovo and six from the Netherlands

3 Oct. 2008,
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Information seminar for war crimes defence lawyers

The Outreach representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) met with a group of lawyers from across Bosnia and Herzegovina who are likely to defend accused in war crimes cases before local courts. The presentation focused on the issues surrounding the transfer of cases from ICTY to BiH courts and the mechanisms available to defence to obtain documents and other evidence from the Tribunal.

The seminar was organised by the Criminal Defence Section (OKO) of the Court of BiH Registry

> defence lawyers from across the country, active in war crimes cases

2 Oct. 2008,
The Hague

Visit of Kosovo civil servants

This half-day visit was part of the programme for young Kosovar civil servants dealing with European affairs and international relations. It was an opportunity for the participants to learn more about the Tribunal and receive briefings about media and outreach work as related to their region. The visit provided an in-depth look into two cases of most interest to the Kosovo public (Limaj et al., Slobodan Milošević), and gave substantial information about other Kosovo-related cases.

The visit was organized by the Clingendael Institute for International Relations

> 15 representatives from the Kosovo Ministries, including Administration; Local Government; Internal Affairs; Trade and Industry; Public Services; Finance and Economy; Energy and Mining; Environment and Spatial Planning; Transport and Communication as well as from the Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister, and from the Agency for European Integration

26 Sep. 2008, Oslo, Norway

International seminar on prioritising war crimes cases

The BiH Outreach representative participated in a key international seminar on the prioritisation of war crimes cases. The seminar aimed to analyse practices of international and national institutions in determining the criteria for prioritising cases for prosecution in the aftermath of mass atrocities. It addressed the prosecutorial strategy of the ICTY, ICC and other international jurisdictions, as well as the strategies of national judiciaries in various countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The Outreach representative moderated one of the five sessions. The seminar gathered senior experts from various institutions, including the ICTY Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, the US Ambassador for War Crimes, Clint Williamson, ICTY OTP staff and leading human rights activists and scholars in international law.

The event was organised by the Norwegian NGO - Forum for Criminal and International Humanitarian Law

> experts from various institutions, including ICTY Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, the US Ambassador for War Crimes Clint Williamson, and leading human rights activists and scholars in international law

24-25 Sep. 2008, The Hague

Visit of Montenegro prosecutors and judges

A group of prosecutors and judges from Montenegro were welcomed on a two-day visit organised by the EU’s Twinning Project with the expert support of University of Vienna’s Professor Frank Hoepfel, former ICTY judge. As the courts in Montenegro are increasingly dealing with war crimes cases, they face a number of legal and procedural challenges. This visit thus served as a vehicle of expertise exchange to tackle those problems, and strengthen the links between the Montenegro judiciary and the ICTY.

The event was organised by EU’s Twinning Light Project

> 10 prosecutors and judges from Montenegro accompanied by a representative of the EU Twinning Light Project, and Professor Frank Hoepfel form the Vienna University

22 Sep. 2008, Serbia

New Serbian interns to gain experience at the ICTY

Outreach finalised the selection of ten students who were to work for six months as interns across the various sections of the Tribunal. Following this they were to serve an additional internship at the War Crimes Chamber of War Crimes Prosecution office in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. This was the second such programme and it was anticipated that the interns would gain practical experience contributing directly to building the capacity of new generations in Serbia to try war crimes cases.

The programme was initiated and sponsored by the Belgrade-based NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights

>Serbian university students

20 Sep. 2008,
Ivanjica, Serbia

Lecture for a youth group

Outreach held a presentation about the Tribunal in Ivanjica, central Serbia, for a group of young people attending a two-day school on “Facing the Past”, organised by the NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights. The Tribunal provided extensive printed and audiovisual materials to the participants.

The event was organised by the Belgrade based NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights

> 20 Serbian young people attending a two-day school on “Facing the Past”

13 Sep. 2008, Denver, USA

Exhibition documenting crimes committed in Prijedor

The BiH Outreach representative travelled to Denver, USA to attend the opening of an exhibition documenting crimes committed in the area of Prijedor. The exhibits were a combination of photographic and narrative content and were based on the facts established at the ICTY and the testimonies of victims heard in court. The Outreach representative spoke at the opening of the exhibition, outlining the achievements of the Tribunal and facts related to the crimes committed in Prijedor, which were established in trials conducted before Tribunal. Separately, he held a well-attended lecture followed by a discussion at the university library.

The event was hosted by the University of Colorado and organised in cooperation with the Holocaust Museum in St. Louis and a Denver-based association of Bosnians

> diaspora from Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially Prijedor area

11 Sep. 2008, Priština, Kosovo

Conference on war crimes truth telling

The Outreach representative attended this conference where representatives from NGOs from across Kosovo and Serbia attended to hear the conclusions of working groups of NGOs on the ‘truth-telling’ process. The participants stressed the necessity of a public campaign about war issues in Kosovo and in explaining the role of the courts in the war crimes process.

The visit was organised by the Dutch NGO (Interkerkeljik Vredesberaad (Interchurch Peace Council) – Pax Christi (IKV-Pax Christi) and hosted by the Kosovo NGO Integra

> 20 NGO representatives from Kosovo and Serbia

5 Sep. 2008, Belgrade, Serbia

Bridging the Gap Conference on Brčko

The Tribunal’s Outreach programme took part in this conference addressing war crimes committed in north-eastern town of Brčko during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The conference, “Brčko ’92 – Beyond Reasonable Doubt”, took place in Belgrade and provided representatives of the Tribunal’s Outreach programme and Prosecution with an opportunity to present facts established in trials before the Tribunal.

This was the fifth such conference organised by the Belgrade-based NGO Humanitarian Law Center in cooperation with ICTY Outreach with the aim of bringing the work of the Tribunal closer to the general public in Serbia, after a successful series of these five conferences having been held in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2004 and 2005.

Audiences in Serbia had already been able to familiarise themselves with the trials and facts established by the Tribunal about the genocide in Srebrenica and crimes in Prijedor, Foča, and the Čelebići camp.

The event was organised by the Humanitarian Law Center in cooperation with ICTY Outreach

> 200 participants consisting of youth groups from Serbia, victims from Brčko and journalists

18 Aug. 2008, Zaječar, Serbia

Partnership with the government in the debate on the necessity to punish war crimes

Outreach participated in this, first of its kind, grass-root information event in partnership with Serbian authorities - the governmental Bureau of the National Council for Cooperation (NCC) and the OSCE Mission in Serbia. The pilot event, held in the eastern Serbian town of Zaječar, consisted of two elements: a public panel discussion and an 80-minute talk show on the local television. The event promoted awareness of the need for war crimes trials and Serbia’s cooperation with the ICTY. Particular emphasis was put on explaining that war crimes are brutal crimes that should be condemned regardless of the ethnicity of the perpetrator or the victims.

The partners in this event were Serbian authorities - the governmental Bureau of the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY and the OSCE Mission in Serbia

> wide public audience across eastern Serbia

22-24 July, The Hague

Entity prosecutors from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian prosecutors from various entity courts visited the Tribunal to enlarge their understanding of the institution and its jurisprudence, discuss issues of concern and initiate connections helpful in their work on war crime cases. The participants met with representatives of all three bodies of the ICTY, and held two roundtable discussions with their OTP counterparts where they discussed various issues, including access to the ICTY evidence, transfer of cases, relevant jurisprudence, work with witnesses, etc.
 

The visit was sponsored by the US Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT)

> 13 Bosnian prosecutors from entity courts

14-16 July, The Hague

Prime Minister’s Office of the Bosnian Federation

Members of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina came for a three-day visit to the Tribunal. The Head of the Main Office of the Government of the BiH Federation, and the Head of the Sector for Cooperation with Courts met with expert staff from the three organs of the Tribunal. The two Prime Minister’s representatives were especially keen to open regular channels of cooperation, most notably on the issues of provisional release and transfer of cases.

The visit was sponsored by the Main Office of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

> two members of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

9 July, Belgrade, Serbia

Presentation of an Open Society study on the ICTY in Serbia

The Centre for Transitional Processes, the NGO arm of the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’ s Office organised a public presentation of the study “Shrinking the Space for Denial: The Impact of the ICTY in Serbia” written by Prof. Diane Orentlicher and commissioned by the Open Society Justice Initiative. Prof. Orentlicher spoke in favourable terms about the Tribunal’s impact, while other speakers – the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor and Justice Minister – gave a more guarded assessment of the ICTY yet vowed their commitment to fulfil cooperation with the Tribunal. Several contentious issues were clarified, among them the acquittals in cases involving crimes against Serbs, which tended to be perceived as political by those observers who did not follow closely enough the legal process and the evidence presented.

The event was organised by the Centre for Transitional Processes, the NGO arm of the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office

>general Serbian public, including the Justice Minister and Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor

6-11 July, The Hague

Witness protection professionals from the Belgrade State Court

Upgrading of witness support and protection skills was the aim of this visit of professionals from the Belgrade State Court, accompanied by representatives of the OSCE Mission to Serbia who sponsored this capacity-building event. In addition to an in-depth programme with the ICTY Victims and Witness Section, visitors also met with key representatives of the Registry, OTP and Defence.

The visit was sponsored by the OSCE Mission to Serbia

> six professionals from the Belgrade State Court and representatives of the OSCE Mission to Serbia

18 June, Belgrade, Serbia

Roundtable “The Hague Tribunal before and now”

Outreach participated in this Belgrade based discussion, organised by the Liberal Party of Serbia (LSL), whose prominent member, law professor Kosta Čavoški, presided over of the Committee for Truth about Radovan Karadžić. The Outreach Serbia representative answered a number of critical remarks towards the Tribunal and pointed to the ICTY achievements in promoting international law and justice and contribution to the post-conflict development of the countries in the former Yugoslavia.

The event was organised by the Liberal Party of Serbia

> Liberal Party of Serbia and Democratic Party members, Serb refugees, and Counsellors from the Russian Embassy in Belgrade

11-12 June, The Hague

Meeting the Spokesperson of the Cambodian Extraordinary Chambers

Outreach hosted the Press Officer of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia who was acquainted with the daily work of the ICTY Communications section, with special regard to Media and Outreach experiences. He also met with senior representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor and Registry and attended court proceedings.

> Spokesperson of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

11 June, The Hague

Visit of Lithuanian journalists

Lithuanian journalists received an introduction to the ICTY and overview of its work with the media during a visit organised within the framework of the Dutch Foreign Ministry-sponsored trip in preparation to H.M. Queen Beatrix visit to Lithuania. The journalists published their articles on the visit to the Netherlands on return.

The event was sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

> five Lithuanian journalists

4-6 June, Belgrade, Serbia

Training of Belgrade Court security staff

The ICTY Staff Welfare Officer and an ICTY Security Sergeant were the main trainers at a three-day skills based training for the Belgrade District Court’s security staff organised by the OSCE Mission to Serbia. This was a follow-up to earlier similar trainings and further cooperation was planned.

The event was organised by the OSCE Mission to Serbia

> Belgrade District Court’s security staff

21-22 May, The Hague

Bosnian cantonal and district prosecutors

The  aim  of  this visit  was  to  introduce  the  cantonal and district prosecutors to the functioning of the Tribunal and the Office of the Prosecutor in particular, and  to  enable them to share their experiences on specific topics of interest to the prosecutors. The visit helped to identify fields where more cooperation and capacity building is necessary. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina accompanied the delegation.

The event was sponsored by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

> cantonal and district prosecutors, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

19-21 May, Bosnia and Herzegovina

ICTY President Visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Outreach was the key in organising a three-day visit of Tribunal President Fausto Pocar to BiH. The President met with state representatives, members of the BiH judiciary, victim associations and the international community to discuss state cooperation and matters related to the Tribunal’s legacy. The President also visited Foča, prison, located in the south east of the country, to learn more about the case of an ICTY-accused whose case was transferred to BiH and who after conviction escaped from the Foča prison. The visit was widely covered by BiH and international media.

The visit was coordinated by the ICTY Outreach

> Bosnia and Herzegovina state representatives, members of the judiciary, victims associations and the international community

5, 6 and 9 May, The Hague

Law students from BiH, Croatia and Serbia 

Law students from Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb Universities were selected to participate in a week long tour of the Hague legal institutions - with the ICTY as the central aspect of their visit. Over three days, they looked at various topics, including: ICTY and the media in the region, right for self-representation, gender crimes, command responsibility and case transfer. On the final day, the students held presentations based on the information learnt and own research. The students attending had been selected on the basis of a competitive essay writing competition.

The study tour was sponsored and coordinated by the Hague Municipality with the help of the Leiden University’s Grotius Centre

> 15 law students from Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb Universities

25 April, The Hague

Human rights students from Ljubljana

Students from the University of Ljubljana European Studies programme visited the Tribunal to increase their knowledge of the ICTY, in particular of the Office of the Prosecutor. The visitors also enjoyed the audio-visual tour of the courtroom and observed a trial session.

The visit was organised by the University of Ljubljana

> 30 students from the University of Ljubljana European Studies

11 April, Belgrade, Serbia

Meeting with President of the Belgrade District Court and its War Crimes Chamber (WCC)

The Outreach Belgrade representative together with the Head of Media, Outreach and Web Unit from The Hague explored ways of closer cooperation with the Belgrade War Crimes Court (WCC). President Siniša Važić agreed to conduct internal consultations to identify the issues in which the ICTY support is necessary. The issue of access to the Tribunal’s Judicial Database was also highlighted.

The visit was organised by the ICTY Outreach

> Belgrade WCC President Siniša Važić

9 April, Zagreb, Croatia

ICTY brief to Croatian NGOs 

Outreach hosted a briefing session for representatives of Croatian NGOs, including victims’ and veterans’ associations. Latest developments in the Tribunal’s work and in cases related to crimes committed on the territory of Croatia were presented. The meeting was also attended by international actors such as UNDP, UNHCR, OSCE and the US and Dutch embassies. The discussion showed the degree in which the Croatian public is concerned with the outcome of the so-called “Vukovar Three” (Mrkšić et al.) trial.

The event was organised by the ICTY Outreach

> 17 representatives of Croatian NGOs and international actors such as UNDP, UNHCR, OSCE and the US and Dutch embassies

1-3 April, The Hague

Judges from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The visit acquainted Bosnian and international BiH Court judges with the Tribunal’s functioning, and provided them with a platform to meet and discuss issues of common concern with their ICTY counterparts. Special consideration was also given to the ramifications of the completion strategy, and handover of ICTY cases and documents to BiH.

The visit was financed by the US Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT)

> 15 Bosnian and international BiH Court Judges

31 March, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Advisory Committee on Archives (ACA) consultations

Professor Dr. Eric Ketelaar, member of the ACA, paid a second visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the consultations which should result in a set of recommendations on the future of Tribunals’ archives. He held a meeting with representatives of relevant NGOs, archivist institutions and victims’ associations.

> NGO’s, archivist institutions and victims associations from across Bosnia and Herzegovina

31 March, The Hague

European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) from Ljubljana

A group of law students from ELSA visited the ICTY on their academic excursion to various institutions in The Hague, Amsterdam, Brussels and Strasbourg. They received introductory information about the establishment, structure and challenges in the ICTY’s functioning, discussed cases on trial, familiarized themselves with the courtroom technology and witness protection measures, and followed a trial session live.

The visit was organized by the European Law Students Association

> 30 law students from Slovenia

26 March, Zagreb, Croatia

Croatian NGOs assess domestic war crime trials in a report

An Outreach representative participated in a roundtable discussion on the findings of the 2007 Annual Report compiled by four Croatian NGOs monitoring local war crimes trials. The discussion was also attended by the high lever representatives of the Croatian judiciary. The report highlighted delays in investigations, in absentia verdicts, inadequate investigation centres and insufficient support for witnesses as impeding factors. Croatian judiciary officials announced measures to address these weaknesses and setting up of a regional war crime database based on ICTY methodology. Outreach also attended the official launch of this report on 4 February 2008.

The report and the event were organised by the Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights, Osijek, in cooperation with Documenta, Citizens’ Committee for Human Rights and the Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights

> Croatian Justice Minister, Supreme Court President, Chief State Prosecutor, the Croatian president’s special envoy and international community

21 March, Belgrade, Serbia

Roundtable on the future of the ICTY archives

The event gathered lawyers, activists and journalists, including the Tribunal’s Outreach representative. The Humanitarian Law Center Director Nataša Kandić supported the solution of sending copies of the archive - excluding protected documents - to all states of the former Yugoslavia. She also proposed the creation of a regional truth-seeking body determining facts about the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. The Outreach representative explained what types of documentation was available on the ICTY website and ways to receive other materials.

The discussion was organised by the Humanitarian Law Center

> ca. 20 lawyers, activists, journalists

17 March, The Hague

Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina high officials

Senior professionals from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina focused their one day visit on legacy and victims and witnesses issues. Full accessibility of the ICTY Archives after the Tribunal closure received much attention. The guests included the President of the court, and other senior Prosecution, Registry and Witness officials. They met with key ICTY decision-makers – the President, the Prosecutor and the Registrar.

The visit was sponsored by the UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina

> eight senior professionals from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

10 March, Pristina, Kosovo

ICTY school presentations

The Outreach representative conducted a presentation on the ICTY and its functions to 47 pupils in the Pristina high school “Xhevdet Doda”.

The visit was organised by the ICTY Outreach in cooperation with the Kosovo Ministry of Education

> 47 students in the Pristina high school “Xhevdet Doda”, Kosovo

5 March, Zagreb, Croatia

Press event to mark the start of Gotovina et al. trial

Outreach organised a two-hour meeting of the ICTY spokespersons and other Tribunal representatives with Croatian journalists in Zagreb. Journalists were briefed on upcoming cases, as well as the Tribunal’s achievements so far. The meeting was attended by various media outlets, including TV stations which filmed the event. Extensive written and electronic materials were provided to attending journalists, including a specially tailored CD-Rom. The event was covered widely in the media, and in addition the Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers participated in a 45-minute show of Otvoreno, the Croatian state television leading political programme. Numerous interviews were given by the Outreach liaison officer after the event, in response to the Croatian media increased interest due to the start of Gotovina et al. trial.

The event was organised by the ICTY Outreach

> representatives of 13 media outlets, including three major TV outlets

26 February, Belgrade, Serbia

Roundtable “War Crime Trials in Serbia”

This roundtable on war crimes trial was attended by the Outreach representative, who took active part in the discussion and informed the gathering about the start of the Gotovina et al. and Stanišić & Simatović trials in March.

The event was organised by the Belgrade Center for Human Rights

> media, academics, civil society leaders, political leaders

25-28 February, The Hague

Cantonal prosecutors from Tuzla 

Two prosecutors from the Tuzla Cantonal Office of the Prosecutor visited the ICTY primarily to hold talks and hand over material to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), including the Chief Prosecutor and the Transition Team. The guests from Tuzla also met with the ICTY Registrar, Victims and Witness Unit, the Office of Legal Aid and Detention (OLAD), and were provided a tour of the courtroom and library.

The visit was sponsored by the Cantonal Office of the Prosecutor from Tuzla Canton

> two prosecutors from the Tuzla Cantonal Office of the Prosecutor

12 February, The Hague

Military officers from the former Yugoslavia and Albania 

The visit of staff officers from the former Yugoslavia and Albania aimed to introduce the participants to the functioning of NATO countries, with focus on democratic mechanisms. The visit provided a general introduction to the Tribunal, followed by more detailed sessions on political-military-legal aspects of ICTY activities, and on the work of military analysts.

The event was organized by The Netherlands Defence College

> 18 staff officers from across the former Yugoslavia and Albania

11- 12 February, Belgrade, Serbia

Regional NGO Forum 

Outreach attended the third Regional NGO forum which focused on issues in transitional justice. The main topic was the proposed initiative to create a regional truth-telling body. On the second day of the conference, a four-hour session was held where more than 10 victims from different ethnic groups sat on the same panel and recalled their experiences.

The event was organised by the Humanitarian Law Center from Serbia, Research-Documentation Center from BiH and Documenta from Croatia

> more than 100 NGO activists, lawyers, victims and journalists

9 February, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Facilitation of NGO project on sexual crimes

Outreach agreed to facilitate the Tribunal’s support for the Bosnian NGO “Women to Women” (Žene ženama) working on the project, "Prosecuting cases of rape before the ICTY and the Court of BiH: voices of witnesses, courts' officials and civil society".

The project of Women to Women  was also supported by the Victims Support Section of the BiH State Court and the BiH Office of the Prosecutor

> Bosnian NGO “Women to Women”

February, Belgrade, Serbia

Former ICTY interns start work with the Belgrade War Crimes Chamber 

The Outreach representative in Serbia met with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights concerning their War Crimes Internship Programme. As planned, most of the eight students from the first generation had finished their terms at the ICTY and started their internship with the Belgrade War Crimes Chamber or the War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office. Preparations for the selection of a second generation of students went underway.

The project was implemented by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights

> Serbian students

31 January, Belgrade, Serbia

Roundtable “Serbia with or without future” 

The event was organised by the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor's Offices unofficial NGO arm. Highly regarded Serbian lawyers, journalists, civil society activists and academics spoke and expressed their support to war crimes prosecutions. One speaker, a refugee, said that the ICTY was one of key institutions to lead Serbia to “the road to the truth”.

The event was organised by the Center for Transitional Processes

> Serbian lawyers, journalists, civil society activists and academics

26 January, Novi Sad, Serbia

ICTY lecture at the Helsinki Committee seminar

The three-day seminar “Fostering Vojvodina’s Multiethnic Identity” included the ICTY Outreach presentation, which consisted of an introduction to the ICTY, screening of video footage from Tribunal proceedings and practical skills for further research of the Tribunal’s cases. Discussion was lively and provided an opportunity to dispel many prejudices.

The event was organised by the Helsinki Committee in Serbia

> around 20 students, journalists and activists