Second cycle of the Mechanism’s Inter-University Video Lecture Programme concludes

The second cycle of the Mechanism’s Inter-University Video Lecture Programme (Programme), which is entitled “International Law and Facts Established before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)”, concluded today with a lecture delivered by Mr. Ivan Jovanović, Chief Technical Advisor for the United Nations Development Programme’s Regional Centre for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Mr. Jovanović spoke about the role of the ICTY and the Mechanism in the processing of war crimes cases before judiciaries in the region of the former Yugoslavia.

The Programme’s second cycle consisted of a series of lectures held over a six-month period, during which participating students learned about the ICTY’s legacy and jurisprudence from legal experts including current Principals and staff members of the Mechanism.

Mechanism President, Judge Carmel Agius, launched the second cycle of the Programme in October 2020 with a lecture on the ICTY’s establishment and jurisdiction. The Registrar of the Mechanism, Mr. Abubacarr Tambadou, also participated in the series, delivering a lecture on the role and functions of the Mechanism.

In addition, the following Mechanism staff members took part in the lecture series:

• Laurel Baig, Senior Appeals Counsel in the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) gave a lecture on the work and mandate of the OTP;

• Emiliya Viktorova, Legal Officer in the Chambers Legal Support Section, introduced students to the contributions of the ICTY and Mechanism to the development of international law;

• Evangelia Sarikaki, Associate Legal Officer in the Chambers Legal Support Section, gave a lecture on the notion of joint criminal enterprise in the ICTY’s jurisprudence;

• Najwa Nabti, Legal Officer in the OTP, talked about the prosecution of wartime sexual violence at the ICTY;

• Kevin Hughes, Chief of Staff of the OTP, delivered a lecture on destruction of cultural heritage;

• Paul Mavin, Head of the Witness Support and Protection Unit, and Ms. Helena Vranov Schoorl, Associate Witness Support and Protection Officer, spoke about support to victims and witnesses appearing before the ICTY and Mechanism;

• Elizabeth Emmerson, Chief Archivist in the Mechanism Archives and Records Section, gave a lecture on the importance of ICTY and Mechanism archival material;

• Ms Anisa Sućeska, MIP Coordinator for Youth Outreach, introduced students to the Mechanism’s court records database and how to access and use its resource materials; and

• Rada Pejić-Sremac, MIP Coordinator, talked about the importance of the outreach programmes.

Lectures in the second cycle were also delivered by:

• Marie O'Leary, President of The Association of Defence Counsel Practising before the International Courts and Tribunals, who talked about safeguarding the rights of the accused and right to self-representation; and

• Gregory Townsend, lecturer in law and former ICTY staff member, who provided his perspective on the prosecution of genocide before the ad hoc tribunals.

More than 120 postgraduate students took part in this cycle of the Programme, including law students from the University of Niš, the University of Podgorica, the University of Priština, the University of Sarajevo, the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skoplje, the University of Zagreb, the University of Vitez, and the University of Donja Gorica.

The third cycle of the Programme is anticipated to start in October of this year, with lectures delivered on a weekly basis until the end of March 2022.

The Programme is part of the broader MIP, launched in January 2019, which aims to contribute to increased awareness and knowledge among affected communities about the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia based on the ICTY and Mechanism cases. The MIP is generously supported by the European Union and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.