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Press release
OSCE and American Bar Association train defence lawyers involved in war crimes proceedings
- Date:
- Place:
- SARAJEVO
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Fields of work:
- Rule of law, Democratization
SARAJEVO, 31 October 2006 - Challenges faced by defence lawyers in war crimes proceedings was the focus of a two-day regional seminar, which ended today in Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"Defending war crimes suspects is a challenge, in particular when the trial takes place in jurisdictions where the alleged crime was committed," says Vladimir Shkolnikov, Head of the Democratization Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
"In addition to being politically charged, war crimes trials are often further complicated by the fact that perpetrators, victims and witnesses often do not reside in the same jurisdiction, which requires cross-border co-operation".
Within its human rights and democratization activities, the ODIHR supports states in their efforts to prosecute war crimes effectively.
"Ensuring due process and fair trial standards is of particular importance in war crimes trials", said Shkolnikov. "It is one of the cornerstones of rule of law and democratic order. The ODIHR provides assistance to defence attorneys in the several hundred war crimes proceedings pending before courts in countries of the former Yugoslavia."
The seminar, which was held by the ODIHR and the American Bar Association's Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative, focused on legal issues related to the defence in war crimes cases, emphasizing access and admissibility of evidence and equality of arms. It also provided a regional forum for discussion and exchange of experience and aims to help create a regional network of attorneys.
The event was attended by more than 40 defence attorneys from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia.
"Defending war crimes suspects is a challenge, in particular when the trial takes place in jurisdictions where the alleged crime was committed," says Vladimir Shkolnikov, Head of the Democratization Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
"In addition to being politically charged, war crimes trials are often further complicated by the fact that perpetrators, victims and witnesses often do not reside in the same jurisdiction, which requires cross-border co-operation".
Within its human rights and democratization activities, the ODIHR supports states in their efforts to prosecute war crimes effectively.
"Ensuring due process and fair trial standards is of particular importance in war crimes trials", said Shkolnikov. "It is one of the cornerstones of rule of law and democratic order. The ODIHR provides assistance to defence attorneys in the several hundred war crimes proceedings pending before courts in countries of the former Yugoslavia."
The seminar, which was held by the ODIHR and the American Bar Association's Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative, focused on legal issues related to the defence in war crimes cases, emphasizing access and admissibility of evidence and equality of arms. It also provided a regional forum for discussion and exchange of experience and aims to help create a regional network of attorneys.
The event was attended by more than 40 defence attorneys from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia.
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