Bosnia-Hercegovina Genocide Conviction for Srebrenica On August 2, 2001, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia delivered its first ever genocide conviction, for crimes committed in the wake of the 1995 capture of Srebrenica by the Bosnian Serb Army. Finding that through his leadership role in the Srebrenica operation Drina Corps General Radislav Krstic "agreed to evil," the Tribunal sentenced Krstic to 46 years' imprisonment. More than 7,500 Bosniak men were killed during the Srebrenica operation, the biggest single atrocity committed during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In addition to genocide, General Krstic was also found guilty of persecution-for murders, cruel and inhumane treatment, terrorizing the civilian population, forcible transfer and destruction of personal property of Bosnian Muslim civilians. In announcing Krstic's sentence, the trial court noted that there are still bigger fish to fry for the Srebrenica genocide. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and Krstic's immediate superior General Ratko Mladic still remain at large. Karadzic is believed to be living in Bosnia. The June 28 transfer of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to the Yugoslav tribunal has increased pressure on local Bosnian Serb leaders and the NATO-led troops based in Bosnia to arrest Karadzic and other remaining indictees, and transfer them to the Hague-based tribunal. BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA The Fall of Srebrenica and the Failure of U.N. Peacekeeping Human Rights Watch Report, October 1995 The fall of the town of Srebrenica and its environs to Bosnian Serb forces in early July 1995 made a mockery of the international community’s professed commitment to safeguard regions it declared to be “safe areas” and placed under United Nations protection in 1993. United Nations peacekeeping officials were unwilling to heed requests for support from their own forces stationed within the enclave, thus allowing Bosnian Serb forces to easily overrun it and—without interference from U.N. soldiers—to carry out systematic, mass executions of hundreds, possibly thousands, of civilian men and boys and to terrorize, rape, beat, execute, rob and otherwise abuse civilians being deported from the area.  More..

Related Material Thousands of civilians were killed by Bosnian Serb forces during and immediately after the offensive in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, in July 1995. According to the ICRC, up to 8,000 men remain "disappeared," and most are believed to have been killed or executed.   More.. Memorandum On Charges Against Indictees Currently Living in Serbia April 1, 2001 Bosnia: Arrest of Srebrenica Indictee Hailed Press Release, April 17, 2001 Human Rights Developments Overview of the events of 2000 from HRW World Report 2001 Past World Report chapters: 2000, 1999