UN envoy welcomes Bosnia-Herzegovina court ruling on sexual violence in conflict
| Publisher | UN News Service |
| Publication Date | 29 June 2015 |
| Cite as | UN News Service, UN envoy welcomes Bosnia-Herzegovina court ruling on sexual violence in conflict, 29 June 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5596555a40a.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
29 June 2015 - The Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict today welcomed the decision by a Bosnian Herzegovinian court to secure conviction for and award compensatory damages to victims of war-time sexual violence, the United Nations confirmed today.
The ruling on the crimes committed in the so-called Kotor Varoš case – which dates back to the Balkan conflict of the early 1990s – was greeted by Zainab Bangura's Office in a press release hailing the decision as “a strong signal that there will be no sanctuary for perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence.”
“Too many women throughout the former Yugoslavia are still waiting for justice, while the perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence walk free,” the press release continued. “Yet, the court's ruling shows that no matter the time that has elapsed, perpetrators of humanity's gravest crimes will ultimately be held to account for their actions.”
According to Ms. Bangura's Office, the court's ruling also demonstrates the importance of legal aid and reparation for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence which, it added, must be “prompt, adequate, and effective.”
“It is essential that governments in the former Yugoslavia do their utmost to deliver justice, legal aid and comprehensive reparation programs for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence,” declared the UN official in the press release.
“I call upon the governments affected by conflict in the former Yugoslavia to take these measures on a regional and non-sectarian basis for the benefit of every survivor of one of wartime's most heinous atrocities.”
