Bosnia and Herzegovina: ICRC seminar for War Crimes Chamber interns
03-11-2006 News Release
The ICRC delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is holding a two-day seminar on 3-4 November, in Sarajevo, for 30 interns of the War Crimes Chamber of the State Court and its Registry.
The following was issued as a press release by the ICRC delegation in Sarajevo
The seminar has been organized to help the interns enhance understanding of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), its connection with International Human Rights and International Criminal Law, their respective sources, distinction, and interaction.
The ICRC has been involved in educational seminars organized by the Registry for judges, prosecutors and lawyers of the War Crimes Chamber since its establishment in BiH in 2005. This seminar is the first of this kind offered to young lawyers. Presentations and case studies in the course of the seminar are given by ICRC legal advisors and guest lecturers – the Legal Advisor of the European Commission in charge of relations with the International Criminal Court and a lawyer from the Office of the Prosecutor of The Hague Tribunal.
The ICRC's mandate originates from the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, which are the principal treaties governing assistance to and protection of victims of armed conflict. In accordance with the mandate conferred on it by the international community, the ICRC strives to promote compliance with IHL and contribute to its developments with regard to measures for the repression of war crimes, to prevent people from going missing and to protect persons who are detained. To this end, the ICRC has strongly welcomed the establishment of ad hoc tribunals and has actively participated in negotiations to establish the permanent International Criminal Court.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, as one of the signator ies to the Geneva Conventions, has committed itself to implement IHL treaties. In this respect, the role of judicial institutions, court and prosecutors, is very important as they also, as members of the legal community, play a role in national implementation related to penal legislation and in the administration of justice.
" We hope that this two-day seminar will reach its goal and help interns to better understand the provisions that could assist them in their work related to war crimes prosecution in BiH, " said the head of delegation of the ICRC in BiH, Mrs. Marianne Gasser.
For further information please contact the ICRC BiH spokesperson,
Sanela Bajrambasic at +387 33 72 17 80 or mobile: +387 61 10 22 78