Complete Final Text of the Resolution on Srebrenica Submitted to the UN General Assembly

(Patria) - The final draft of the UN Resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica has been agreed upon and submitted to the President of the United Nations General Assembly.

“After several rounds of inclusive consultations, the Final Draft Resolution ‘International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide’, by the ‘cross-regional core group’, has been sent to the President of the UN General Assembly and all permanent missions to the UN,” announced the BiH Ambassador to the UN, Zlatko Lagumdžija.

Below is the final text of the draft Resolution:

Recalling the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, referring to Security Council resolution 819 of 16 April 1993, which declared Srebrenica a safe area, resolution 827 of 25 May 1993, on the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”), and resolution 1966 of 22 December 2010, on the establishment of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, further recalling all ICTY judgments, particularly the eight that contain convictions for the crime of genocide against Bosnian Muslims committed in Srebrenica in 1995, specifically the judgment of the ICTY Appeals Chamber of 19 April 2004 (ICTY v. Krstić), the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals Appeals Chamber judgment of 8 June 2021 (ICTY v. Mladić), the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals Appeals Chamber judgment of 20 March 2019 (ICTY v. Karadžić and Karadžić), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment of 26 February 2007, which determined that the acts committed in Srebrenica constitute acts of genocide, affirming its strong opposition to impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, or other violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and emphasizing in this context the responsibility of States to end impunity and, to that end, to thoroughly investigate and prosecute, in accordance with their relevant international legal obligations and their domestic law, those responsible for such acts, in order to prevent their recurrence and to seek sustainable peace, justice, truth, and reconciliation, for which the participation of victims and survivors, as well as their families, is central, welcoming the significant progress made by international courts in recent years in combating impunity and ensuring accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other egregious crimes through the international criminal justice system, recognizing in this regard the special contribution of the ICTY and emphasizing the importance of the international community’s readiness to take collective action through the Security Council, in accordance with the Charter, and on a case-by-case basis, to further ensure accountability for genocide and its prevention.

Considering the role of the Special Advisers to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect; and stressing the importance of regular briefings on human rights and international humanitarian law violations, as well as hate speech and incitement, in raising early awareness of potential genocide, also noting that the prosecution of persons responsible for genocide and other international crimes in national judicial systems, including the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the ICTY, as well as the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, remains central to the process of national reconciliation and confidence-building, and the restoration and maintenance of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, further recognizing that strong regional cooperation between national prosecutors is essential for fostering peace, justice, truth, and reconciliation among countries in the region, noting that 2025 will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in which at least 8,372 lives were lost, thousands displaced, and families and communities devastated:

1. Decides to designate 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, to be observed annually;

2. Condemns, without reservation, any denial of the Srebrenica genocide as a historical event and calls on Member States to preserve the established facts, including through their educational systems, by developing appropriate programs, also in remembrance, in order to prevent denial and distortion of facts, and the recurrence of genocide in the future;

3. Also condemns, without reservation, actions that glorify those convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide by international courts, including those responsible for the Srebrenica genocide;

4. Emphasizes the importance of completing the process of locating and identifying the remaining victims of the Srebrenica genocide and their dignified burial, and calls for the continued prosecution of those perpetrators of the Srebrenica genocide who have yet to face justice;

5. Calls on all States to fully comply with their obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, as applicable, and customary international law on the prevention and punishment of genocide, with due respect for the relevant decisions of the ICJ,

6. Requests the Secretary-General to establish an outreach program entitled “The Srebrenica Genocide and the United Nations,” commencing its activities and preparations for the 30th anniversary in 2025, and further requests the Secretary-General to bring this resolution to the attention of all Member States, United Nations system organizations, and civil society organizations for appropriate observance,

7. Calls on all Member States, United Nations system organizations, other international and regional organizations, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, to observe the International Day, including special commemorations and activities in remembrance and honor of the victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, as well as appropriate education and public awareness-raising activities.

We remind you that the initial vote on the Resolution was scheduled for May 2nd, but it was postponed to a later date to allow time for additional suggestions and refinement. May certainly remains a key month for adoption.