Appeal Judgement in Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladić scheduled for 8 June 2021: Accreditation procedure now open
The Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunal (“Mechanism”) has scheduled the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement in the case of Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladić for Tuesday, 8 June 2021 at 3.00 p.m. CEST in the Courtroom of the Mechanism's Hague branch.
The accreditation procedure for media and non-media representatives wishing to attend the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement is now open.
Media representatives wishing to enter the building on that day must submit an accreditation request to mict-press@un.org by Tuesday, 25 May 2021 at 5.00 p.m. Accreditation requests should include the full name of the media outlet, journalist(s), cameramen and other technicians, as well as passport or ID number.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions on the Mechanism’s premises, the available space to be allocated to the accredited media will be very limited and will include access to the Mechanism’s lobby only. The accredited media representatives will be able to follow the broadcast of the proceedings with a
30-minute delay from the lobby. There will be no accreditations for the public gallery.
Members of the diplomatic corps and other members of the public wishing to attend the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement should request accreditation by sending an email to
mict-press@un.org by Tuesday, 25 May 2021 at 5.00 p.m.
The available space for the members of the diplomatic corps and others will be very limited and will include access to dedicated areas inside the Mechanism’s premises where the hearing will be broadcast with a 30-minute delay. There will be no accreditations for the public gallery.
Accredited media and non-media representatives will be notified by email of the status of their accreditation and collection details by Wednesday, 26 May 2021 at 5.00 p.m.
More information on COVID-19 restrictions and procedures to follow prior to entering and while on the Mechanism’s premises will be communicated to the accredited media and non-media representatives via email in due course.
The hearing will be broadcast on the Mechanism’s website with a 30-minute delay. More information about the Mechanism’s hearing schedule can be found in the Court Calendar.
Technical information
The hearing will be publicly broadcast on the Mechanism’s website with a 30-minute delay and will be available at the following link: https://www.irmct.org/en/cases/mict-courtroom-broadcast. The hearing can be followed in English, French and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.
The lobby will be equipped with work spaces, power outlets and a Wi-Fi connection. Please note that there will only be a limited number of feeds available at the lobby for accredited media wishing to record the delayed broadcast. Journalists wishing to connect to the feeds for the delayed broadcast in the lobby should bring compatible equipment and a BNC cable. The pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement will be broadcast in English, but the audio feed will be available in English, French and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.
Furthermore, filming of the proceedings will be carried out by authorised Mechanism staff and an audiovisual copy of the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement will be distributed after the hearing is complete. Media wishing to obtain footage of the hearing should send a request to mict-press@un.org. Please note that footage can be provided in the MP4 format and it will include the option of English, French, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, or floor channels.
Limited break-out boxes for audio and video feeds are available outside of the Mechanism’s premises. However, media organisations must ensure that they have an adequate supply of cabling and power. Connection to the feeds will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Limited space is available in the vicinity of the Mechanism building for SNG trucks. The Mechanism does not issue accreditations for SNG trucks and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Trucks parked in non-designated areas will be asked to move by the local authorities.
Case background
On 22 November 2017, Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”) issued its judgement in the case of Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladić (“Trial Judgement”). The Trial Chamber convicted Ratko Mladić, former Commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Republika Srpska (“VRS”), of genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war. He was acquitted of genocide charged in Count 1 of the Indictment for crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats in certain municipalities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mladić was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Trial Chamber found that Mladić committed these crimes through his participation in four joint criminal enterprises. In this regard, it found that: (i) from 12 May 1992 until 30 November 1995, Mladić participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the objective of permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from Bosnian Serb-claimed territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina (“BiH”) through persecution, extermination, murder, inhumane acts (forcible transfer), and deportation; (ii) between
12 May 1992 and November 1995, Mladić participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the objective of spreading terror among the civilian population of Sarajevo through a campaign of sniping and shelling; (iii) from the days immediately preceding 11 July 1995 to at least October 1995, Mladić participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the objective of eliminating the Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica by killing the men and boys, and forcibly removing the women, young children, and some elderly men; and (iv) from approximately 25 May 1995 to approximately 24 June 1995, Mladić participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the objective to capture United Nations personnel deployed in BiH and detain them in strategic military locations to prevent the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from launching further military air strikes on Bosnian Serb military targets.
Mladić was initially indicted on 24 July 1995. After being at large for almost sixteen years, he was arrested in Serbia on 26 May 2011 and transferred to the ICTY on 31 May 2011. The trial commenced on 16 May 2012 and lasted a total of 530 days, during which some 9,914 exhibits were admitted and the Trial Chamber heard or received evidence of a total of 592 witnesses.
Both the Defence and Prosecution appealed against the Trial Judgement. Mladić requested the Appeals Chamber to extend the deadlines for the briefing process. The Appeals Chamber allowed a total of 210 days in extensions of time. Both parties filed their respective notices of appeal against the Trial Judgement on 22 March 2018, their respective appellant’s briefs on 6 August 2018, their respective respondent’s briefs on 14 November 2018, and finally their respective reply briefs on
29 November 2018. The appeal hearing in the case took place on 25 and 26 August 2020 after postponements due to Mladić’s health and restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 18 June 2018, Mladić requested the disqualification of Judges Theodor Meron, Carmel Agius, and Liu Daqun from the appeals bench in this case on the basis of actual or apparent bias. The matter was referred to Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti who granted Mladić's request and, on 4 September 2018, assigned Judges Mparany Mamy Richard Rajohnson, Gberdao Gustave Kam, and Elizabeth Ibanda-Nahamya to replace Judges Meron, Agius, and Liu. On 14 September 2018, following the withdrawal of Judge Rajohnson, the President assigned Judge Aminatta Lois Runeni N'gum to the bench. On
18 February 2021, the President assigned Judge Mustapha El Baaj to replace Judge Kam, following his unfortunate passing. The appeals bench in this case is composed of Judge Prisca Matimba Nyambe (Presiding), Judge Aminatta Lois Runeni N'gum, Judge Seymour Panton, Judge Elizabeth Ibanda-Nahamya and Judge Mustapha El Baaj.
The Mechanism was established on 22 December 2010 by the United Nations Security Council to carry out a number of essential functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the ICTY, including completion of a limited number of cases inherited from the work of these two Tribunals.
For further information please contact:
Spokesperson – Helena Eggleston
Tel: +31 70 512 5691; +31 6 11 92 37 43
or email egglestonh@un.org
External Relations office
Tel: +31 70 512 8613; 512-5759
or email mict-press@un.org