Genocide in international criminal law with reference to Srebrenica – prevention and challenges

• Authors: Karović Sadmir
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In 2025 will be 30 years since the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In May 2024, the United Nations adopted a resolution to establish 11 July as International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. The author focuses in this article on the crime of genocide, which is often referred to in the literature as the "crime of crimes" with a special reference to Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the Srebrenica genocide. The analysis of this issue is based on the convention concept of genocide arising from the legal construction defined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948. The most important segments of the text are: examination of the genocide crime through the prism of the general legal and social context, the convention concept of genocide with reference to the misuse of the concept of genocide, as well as to the negation or denial of the crime, the glorification of the persons legally convicted of committing genocide and other war crimes. The genocide committed in Srebrenica in July 1995, where between 7000 and 8000 people were killed, must be a warning to humanity with a clear preventive message that genocide will never and nowhere be repeated, and that the international community will take all necessary actions to provide adequate protection. The essential problem in establishing or proving the existence of genocide is primarily related to the complexity of establishing the specific genocidal intent of the perpetrator as a specific and unique feature of this crime. The crime of genocide is precisely recognisable by specific genocidal intent as the subjective component of this crime, which distinguishes it from other related international crimes. Additionally, the intention of the author is to point out the importance of establishing judicial truth, general prevention, affirmation and promotion of the universal human values, on which the civilised world rest, in order to reconcile, coexist and ensure peace, security, human rights and freedom, the rule of law, the culture of dialogue, humanity and so on. The article also emphasises the inability of the international community to find effective enforcement mechanisms aimed at the timely detection and prevention of risky behaviour that may escalate into a crime. For this reason, the author appeals for strengthening international cooperation in criminal matters and using the full potential of criminal law as a preventive instrument.

Keywords

EN

genocide; Bosnia and Herzegovina; genocidal intent; human rights in Europe; prevention

• Publisher: Wydział Nauk Politycznych i Studiów Międzynarodowych, Uniwersytet Warszawski
• Journal: Przegląd Europejski
• Year: 2025
• Issue: 1(75)
• Pages: 7 - 20

Dates

published

2025

Contributors

author

Karović Sadmir

• University in Travnik

References

• BABIĆ Miloš (2011), International Criminal Law, Banja Luka.
• BORIĆ Faruk (2024), Bosnia-Herzegovina external relations briefing: Srebrenica resolution in the United Nations, Weekly Briefing, vol. 72, no. 4 (BH), April 2024, https://china-cee.eu/2024/05/14/bosnia-herzegovina-external-relations-briefing-srebrenica-resolution-in-the-united-nations/ (14.05.2024).
• CASSESE Antonio (2005), International Criminal Law, Beograd.
• CONVENTION on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), Adopted by Resolution 260 (III) A of the U.N. General Assembly on 9 December 1948. Entry into force: 12 January 1951, http://www.preventgenocide.org/law/convention/text.htm (20.02.2025).
• CZESZEJKO-SOCHACKA Katarzyna (2022), The impact of the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on the development of the commander’s individual liability under international criminal law, „Przegląd Europejski“, vol. 2022, no. 4. DOI: 10.31338/1641-2478pe.4.22.1
• CZESZEJKO-SOCHACKA Katarzyna (2023), Amendment to the act on civilian victims of war and the legal situation of children of war rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina, „Polityka i Społeczeństwo”, no. 1(21)/2023.
• DIMITRIJEVIĆ Nenad (2021), Life After Death: A View From Serbia, in: Sead Turčalo, Hikmet Karčić (eds), Bosnian Genocide Denial and Triumphalism: Origins, Impact and Prevention, Sarajevo.
• FABIJANIĆ GAGRO Sandra, ŠKORIĆ Marissabell (2008), The crime of genocide in the practice of international criminal ad hoc tribunals, “Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta u Zagrebu”, no. 58 (6).
• GURDA Vedad (2015), The Prosecution of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina before international, domestic and national courts of other jurisdictions, in: Monumenta Srebrenica, Tuzla.
• JUDGMENT OF THE APPEALS CHAMBER (2004), Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstić (Case No: IT-98-33-A), 19 April 2004, Hague, https://www.icty.org/x/cases/krstic/acjug/en/ (20.02.2025).
• JUDGEMENT OF THE TRIAL CHAMBER (2004), Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstić, https://www.icty.org/x/cases/krstic/tjug/en/krs-tj010802e-1.htm (20.02.2025).
• JUDGMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (2007), Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro), 26 February 2007, Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 2007, https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/91/091-20070226-JUD-01-00-EN.pdf (26.02.2007).
• KAROVIĆ Sadmir (2012a), Crimes against humanity and international law - common features, "Police and security", vol. 21, no. 4.
• KAROVIĆ Sadmir (2012b), The relationship between genocide and crimes against humanity, „Civitas”, no. 3.
• KAROVIĆ Sadmir (2013), Criminal determination of the crime of genocide, „Pregled“, no. 2/2013.
• KAROVIĆ Sadmir (2014), The complexity of determining the existence of genocidal intent, „Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Splitu“, vol. 51, no. 1.
• KREß Claus (2006), The Crime of Genocide under International Law, “International Criminal Law Review”, vol. 6 (4).
• LAW on Amendment to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021), “Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, no. 46/21.
• LEMKIN Rafael (1944), Axis Rule in Occupied Europe, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington.
• SCHABAS A. Wiliam (2000), Genocide in International Law, Cambridge University Press.
• ŠKULIĆ Milan (2020), International Criminal Law, Beograd.
• UN SECURITY COUNCIL (1993), Resolution 819 (1993) adopted by the Security Council at its 3199th meeting, on 16 April 1993, S/RES/819 (1993), https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/164939?v=pdf (20.02.2025).
• UNITED NATIONS (2024), General Assembly Adopts Resolution on Srebrenica Genocide, Designating International Day of Reflection, Commemoration, UN Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, Seventy-eighth Session, 82nd Meeting (AM), GA/12601, 23 May 2024, https://press.un.org/en/2024/ga12601.doc.htm (23.05.2024).