Dr. Cerić to Judge Meron: Is the Hague Tribunal Rewarding Criminals?

Without disputing its extremely important, historic role, I cannot but express concern over the slowness and certain procedures in the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and sometimes, to say the least, strange decisions of the Tribunal's Trial Chamber, which often further distress and intensify the pain of those waiting for justice for all the crimes committed against them and their loved ones - said Dr. Mustafa Cerić, President of the World Bosniak Congress, on the occasion of the visit of Judge Theodor Meron, President of the Hague Tribunal, to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In any case, Dr. Cerić added, „I welcome the compassion of Theodor Meron for all victims and their families, but I also call on him to do everything in his power to ensure that court proceedings against proven criminals do not turn into a farce, a kind of painful mockery of the victims.“

- It is clear that law, judiciary, and laws do not automatically mean justice, which is often impossible to achieve, but likewise, Dr. Cerić believes - with overly slow, drawn-out processes, justice should not be stretched and in a way mocked by provoking the question – does crime actually pay and are criminals truly punished?

- It is sad, esteemed Mr. Meron, that convicted war criminals, upon returning from mostly partially served prison sentences, go back to their people as heroes and martyrs, regardless of the fact that in prison they had more comfort and security than Bosniak children and their families in Konjević Polje, Srebrenica, Prijedor...“, Dr. Cerić emphasized, and added:

- I ask you to understand that people fear certain Hague decisions, like the recent one on the early release of Vojislav Šešelj, who after years of mocking the Tribunal, continued with terrifying rhetoric, serious threats and provocations of a Greater Serbia, which certainly shook the security situation in the region.

I sincerely hope that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague will not repeat mistakes such as the acquittals of Slobodan Milošević, Momčilo Perišić, Vojislav Šešelj... in the cases of the two biggest criminals from these territories – Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić. I hope, esteemed Judge, that Karadžić and Mladić will face the verdicts of the Hague Tribunal, which would only partially satisfy the families of the victims and all the peoples and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who suffered through years of aggression against our country - Dr. Cerić pointed out.

Nevertheless, he added, „bearing in mind all the evil and misfortune they inflicted on everyone in this country, including their own people, it is already clear that justice in their case will never be fully served.“

- Esteemed Mr. Meron, the work of the Hague Tribunal will be completed in the next few years. I hope you will ensure that in this final phase you justify its establishment and work, so that it is not remembered as yet another painful experience for those who have suffered more than the human heart and soul can bear - Dr. Cerić concluded.