UN Residual Mechanism Prosecutor: Over 2,000 Suspects from Former Yugoslavia Still Await National War Crimes Investigations
Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of the United Nations’ residual court, told the UN Security Council that more than 2,000 people suspected of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia have not yet been investigated by national authorities. He said national courts have inherited the primary responsibility for continuing prosecutions but warned their success depends on evidence, expertise and ongoing support from the Mechanism.
By Blake Marriott
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More than 2,000 people suspected of committing war crimes during the conflicts on the territory of the former Yugoslavia have still not been the subject of investigations by national judiciaries, the chief prosecutor of the United Nations’ residual court told the UN Security Council on June 12. Serge Brammertz, who leads the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, warned that domestic courts face an extensive workload if they are to complete the job begun by the international tribunals.
Brammertz said that national authorities took on the central responsibility for continuing prosecutions after the closure of the international tribunals, but that “pred njima i dalje stoji opsežan posao.” He stressed that prosecutors and judges in the region will require not only political will but also adequate evidence, specialist skills and sustained assistance from the Mechanism in order to proceed effectively.
Highlighting the continuing gaps in accountability, Brammertz also noted the situation in Rwanda, where authorities are still searching for more than 1,000 individuals suspected of involvement in the 1994 genocide. The figures presented to the Security Council underline the unfinished nature of many post-conflict justice processes across different regions and the long-term demands they place on national legal systems.
Reflecting on the legacy of the international tribunals, Brammertz told the Council that the United Nations achieved “neusporedive rezultate na području međunarodne kaznene pravde” over the past three decades. He cited statistics showing that international tribunals and the Residual Mechanism have brought charges against a total of 254 persons, secured 154 convictions, and no longer have fugitives on their wanted lists—facts he described as confirmation of the UN’s dedication to justice and accountability: "To je potvrda predanosti Ujedinjenih naroda pravdi i odgovornosti."
Despite those institutional achievements, Brammertz warned that denial of war crimes and the glorification of individuals convicted of such crimes remain prevalent in societies affected by conflict. He underlined the continuing importance of confronting falsehoods about the past, saying "Istina je danas potrebnija nego ikada," and arguing that reconciliation depends on recognition of and respect for the suffering of all victims, irrespective of their national or ethnic identity.
A key theme of Brammertz’s address was the importance of preserving the archives and ensuring public access to documentation held by the Residual Mechanism. He said maintaining and providing open access to records is crucial both to honour the memory of victims and to support education of future generations about the crimes that were committed. Archival preservation, he argued, is integral to preventing revisionism and to enabling continued judicial and historical work.
As part of his recommendations for the Mechanism’s future role, Brammertz proposed that the Residual Mechanism retain responsibility for enforcing sentences handed down by the international courts. At the same time, he suggested that the mandate of the Office of the Prosecutor to assist national judiciaries be transferred to the United Nations Secretariat, along with part of the Mechanism’s staff and archival holdings. The Residual Mechanism was established in 2010 to assume remaining functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY / MKSJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) after those tribunals completed their mandates.
Brammertz’s briefing to the Security Council underscores the continuing challenges of transitional justice and the need for cooperation between international and national institutions. With thousands of suspected perpetrators still apparently outside the reach of investigations in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the prosecutor’s address frames archives, expertise and intergovernmental support as essential elements for delivering accountability and preserving the historical record for victims and societies seeking reconciliation.
