The forced enlistment and use of children in armed conflicts is, I believe, one of the most serious crimes within the jurisdiction of the court.
-- Fatou Bensouda (left), Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, on the charges against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, defendant in the ICC's 1st trial, which, as IntLawGrrls have posted here and here, has been suspended over a dispute respecting disclosure of witness-preparation information.
Be sure to ask countries to support the tribunal. There is a tendency to think, 'Let's move on. Let's take the countries into the international community. We are saying, 'There can be no compromise. There can be no alternative to bringing the fugitives to justice.'
-- Serge Brammertz (right), Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, disagreeing with proposals to allow the European Union admission of Serbia even though indictees like former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladić remain at large.
My sense is that it is a completely traumatized nation, so it is extremely important that this period be put to rest so that the community can move on.
-- Andrew T. Cayley (left), on the work of the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia, for which he serves as International Co-Prosecutor.
We are losing experienced staff, staff with institutional memory, and we are finding some of the essential tasks are not being done. This is especially the case with the writing of judgments.
-- Bongani Majola (right), Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, echoing a complaint that, as posted, ICTY President Patrick Robinson has made, with respect to the Yugoslavia Tribunal, to the U.N. Security Council.
-- James Johnson (right), Prosecutor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, on publicity that attended the conflicting testimony that celebrity witnesses Naomi Campbell and Mia Farrow recently gave respecting conflict diamonds that the defendant before the court, former Liberian President Charles Taylor, is alleged to have given Campbell.All of the news coverage did come back in the end to the conflict, to the horrible things that happened, and so I think that was very much a good thing to see.
