The final judgement of the trial of Stani i and Simatovi yesterday marks a significant step towards the provision of justice to victims of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina BiH, which has been forced to wait for far too long for effective redress for crimes committed during the war in the former Yugoslavia. The greater importance of this verdict lies in itsattribution of criminal responsibility to those who committed such heinous crimes while holding supreme power.
As the final case before the MICT related to the war in the 1990s, Stani i and Simatovi closes one chapter in this essential pursuit of accountability, but these efforts must continue through domestic investigations and prosecutions.
The Mission commits again to supporting institutions across BiH in the processing of war crimes cases, as established under international humanitarian law and with the Revised National War Crimes Processing Strategy, pursuant to internationally recognized fair trial standards, to support institutions across BiH in the processing of war crimes cases.
Creating lasting peace and safeguarding the rule of law necessitates ensuring responsibility for these atrocity crimes. The victims and survivors of the war deserve justice and the truth, as well as redress, respect, dignity and compassion. We encourage all leaders to advance peace and stability by respecting the judgments of international and domestic judicial bodies handling war crimes cases, noting the role such verdicts play in creating a comprehensive record of the war and combating historical revisionism.
Looking to the future, political, religious and other public figures, as well as teachers, must lead the way in building bridges and trust across the difficult and emotionally-laden chasms still affecting the South-Eastern Europe region, the OSCE mission to BiH said.