Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović were convicted by the court – part of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) which took over from the ICTY – in 2021, for their roles training death squads accused of ethnic cleansing during the conflict that saw the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

The two were originally sentenced to 12 years by the court in 2021, but Wednesday’s appeal judgement against them, increased that to 15 years, on the grounds that they were “liable as members of a joint criminal enterprise for crimes committed by various Serb forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992”, as well as responsible for murder, in the same year.

Justice for the victims

In a statement, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that Secretary-General António Guterres “takes note of this appeal and extends his thoughts to the victims, and survivors and their families who have suffered from the crimes for which both defendants have been found guilty.”

The judgement marks the end of the final case relating to “core crimes” that the Mechanism inherited from the ICTY, which was established in 1993 to prosecute suspected war criminals.

The IRMCT Chief Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said that the decision demonstrated that the international community, “when united, can deliver justice to the victims and hold the most senior perpetrators responsible for their crimes.

Remembering the victims and survivors, and sheer courage of witnesses who have come forward, he added that there were still thousands of war crimes suspects throughout the former Yugoslavia, “who remain to be prosecuted.”

“We will continue our intensive efforts to provide assistance to national counterparts, to ensure that more justice is achieved for more victims.”

Truth triumphs

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, also welcomed Wednesday’s final judgement, describing the outcome as a major step to establishing the truth and addressing impunity.

“The extraordinary work and legacy of the Mechanism and of the International Criminal Tribunal before it, have not only contributed to establishing truth, justice and accountability over the years but have also powerfully advanced international criminal justice standards globally,” Mr. Türk said.

Like the Secretary-General, the UN rights chief highlighted the courage, resilience and perseverance of survivors and families who, despite appalling trauma, never stopped seeking truth and justice.

“I want to praise, strongly, the survivors and their families, whose suffering is unimaginable but who persisted in demanding their rights,” he said.

He also stressed that many survivors and their families are still awaiting truth, justice and reparations.

Threats continue

Many victims continue to face threats, intimidation, hate speech and revisionist rhetoric, including rejection of the tribunals’ decisions; denials that crimes were committed; justification of atrocities; and the glorification of war criminals.

“Verdicts like today’s, remind us of an awful past to which we must never return.

He urged the authorities, “media outlets and people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, to step up efforts to advance truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

“Revisionist narratives, genocide denial, divisive rhetoric and hate speech, from any quarter, are unacceptable.”

The draconian law foresees the application of the death penalty and long prison sentences for consensual sex between adults.

Non-discrimination principle

Mr. Guterres called on Uganda to fully respect its international human rights obligations, “in particular the principle of non-discrimination and the respect for personal privacy”, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity.

He also called on all Member States to end the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations.

According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, such criminalization continues in 67 countries around the world, with 10 still imposing the death penalty.

Undermining development

Just last week, the UN rights chief Volker Türk said that anti-LGBTQI laws like Uganda’s “drive people against one another, leave people behind and undermine development”.

In a statement released at the end of March, when the Ugandan parliament first adopted the legislation, he described the discriminatory bill as a “deeply troubling development” that was “probably among the worst of its kind in the world”.

“If signed into law by the President, it will render lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Uganda criminals simply for existing, for being who they are. It could provide a carte blanche for the systematic violation of nearly all of their human rights and serve to incite people against each other.”

‘Massive distraction’

The bill, which was formally adopted on 21 March, proposes the death penalty for the offence of aggravated homosexuality, life imprisonment for the “offence of homosexuality”, up to 14 years in jail for attempted homosexuality, and up to 20 years merely for promoting homosexuality.

Mr. Türk said that the law would be a “massive distraction from taking the necessary action to end sexual violence”.

He warned that it would also expose journalists, medical workers, and human rights defenders to lengthy prison terms, simply for doing their jobs.

The country, commonly known as North Korea, attempted to fire off its first military reconnaissance satellite earlier that day but it crashed into the sea, according to media reports. 

The DPRK has reportedly pledged to conduct another launch after it learns what went wrong. 

The UN chief noted that any launch using ballistic missile technology is contrary to relevant Security Council resolutions. 

“The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the DPRK to cease such acts and to swiftly resume dialogue to achieve the goal of sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the statement said. 

Chaos and confusion 

The launch sparked confusion in neighbouring South Korea and in Japan. 

Authorities in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, sent text messages urging residents to move to safety but later said they were sent in error. 

The Japanese Government also issued a warning to people in Okinawa prefecture, located in the south of the country. 

“The practice of incommunicado detention of members of the political opposition and prominent figures sentenced to lengthy prison terms for voicing dissent increased in 2023,” the 18 Special Rapporteurs and Human Rights Council-appointed Working Group rights’ experts said.

In their statement released by UN rights office OHCHR, they reported that according to the Viasna Human Rights Centre, 1,511 people have been detained on politically motivated charges since widespread protests swept the country in 2020, following the disputed presidential poll in August, which saw millions take to the streets.

Average of 17 arrests daily

The centre has also documented an average of 17 arbitrary arrests and detentions a day.

While Belarusian prisons are notorious for substandard conditions, civil society organisations continue to document the systematic discriminatory placement of persons detained on politically motivated grounds in even harsher conditions than the general prison population, the experts said.

“This arbitrary practice appears to have a systemic character,” the experts said.

The harsh conditions of detention have reportedly had a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the detainees, including dissident video blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski, activist and campaign strategist Maria Kalesnikava, banker and opposition leader, Viktar Barbaryka, and senior opposition figure and lawyer, Maksim Znak, whose cases have been documented by the experts.

The prisoners were reportedly denied access to timely and appropriate medical examinations and treatment, adequate legal representation and also prevented from contacting their families.

Strategic punishment

“Incommunicado detention – with a risk of enforced disappearance – is indicative of a strategy to punish political opponents and hide evidence of their ill-treatment and torture by law enforcement and prison authorities,” the independent experts said.

They deplored the lack of independent, impartial and thorough investigations into these allegations of inhuman treatment and other human rights violations, as well as the failure to provide effective remedies to detainees and their families.

Demand compliance

“The unprecedented level of repression must stop,” the experts said. “The international community must demand that Belarus comply with its international human rights obligations to ensure truth, justice and reparation for victims of human rights violations.”

Independent human rights experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, under its Special Procedures.

They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.

“It is vital that the recent diplomatic moves are matched with real action,” said Geir Pedersen, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefing the Security Council on recent political and humanitarian developments.

A range of diplomatic initiatives have quickened the pace towards finding solutions on, among other things, continuing a direct dialogue with the Government of Syria, including such concerns raised in Security Council resolution 2254 as territorial integrity, and working towards national reconciliation.

In the last month, Moscow hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, Syria, and Türkiye, and Amman held a meeting with counterparts from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.

The League of Arab States adopted related resolutions in Cairo, and an Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee was established to continue the direct dialogue with the Syrian Government. During the same period, the President of Syria participated in the Arab League Summit in Jeddah.

Danger of status quo

“Common attention to these themes and points [of discussions] could present a real opportunity to move forward,” he said, but, he said in his discussions with key ministers involved in seeking a diplomatic solution, he has “made clear that I appreciate the dangers of the status quo both for the Syrian people and for regional and other actors, who want to curb instability”.

If substantive issues begin to be addressed, even if incrementally, this “new dynamic” could create “much-needed momentum”, he said, anticipating his continued engagement with Syrian parties, the Arab, Astana, and Western players, and the Security Council.

“Even minimal progress” in implementing resolution 2254 “will require the confidence and resources of many different players, and serious action”, he said.

Against this backdrop, he said the Syrian people continue to suffer on a massive scale. Syrian refugees had voiced their desire to return, but in 2023, only a small fraction indicated their wish to return in the coming year. Lack of livelhood opportunities, a fragile security situation, and fears of arbitrary detention were among the top reasons why, he said.

As such, confidence-building measures and the political process must be a focus, and “if the Syrian Government were to start to address in a more systematic manner the protection concerns of the displaced working closely with the UN, and if donors were to help the UN to do more to address the concerns all Syrians have about livelihoods”, the reality on the ground could change for all Syrians, bringing about a safer and calmer environment across the country.

Warning of recent reports on the further increase in poverty, he said the cumulative effects of war, drug trafficking, the war in Ukraine, and other drivers, are real concerns.

Currently, violence continues to cause civilian deaths at a time when humanitarian needs “have never been higher”, he said, underlining an urgent need to establish a national ceasefire.

Syria must remain ‘a global priority’

Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, Deputy Director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said Syrians need the support of the international community now more than at any time in the past 12 years.

“The humanitarian crisis in Syria must remain a global priority,” she said, outlining the current landscape, where after a dozen years of conflict, “the vast majority of the Syrian population continues to face daily challenges to meet the most basic food, health, and shelter needs.

A staggering 15.3 million people require humanitarian assistance throughout the country, representing nearly 70 per cent of Syria’s population. For the first time in the history of the crisis, people across every sub-district in Syria are experiencing some degree of humanitarian stress, she said, adding that the earthquakes earlier this year compounded this already bleak humanitarian situation, with more than 330,000 people remaining displaced, and thousands more without access to basic services and livelihoods.

Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, Deputy Director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

‘Matter of life and death’

While the UN and partners continue large-scale efforts to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs, continued support from donors and this Council will be crucial to address ongoing essential needs, she said, noting that the preliminary Syria Earthquake Recovery Needs Assessment has estimated almost $9 billion in damage and losses, and $14.8 billion in recovery needs over the next three-year period.

A 12-month extension of the Security Council’s authorization of the cross-border mechanism is indispensable, she stressed.

“It is a matter of life and death for millions of people in northwest Syria,” she cautioned.

“The situation in Syria is too fragile, the needs are too great and too many lives are at stake not to ensure sustained humanitarian access via every possible modality, including cross-border and cross-line missions,” she added.

Calling for greater solidarity and urgently increased humanitarian funding to save lives and prevent further suffering, she said that while efforts continue to achieve a lasting political solution, “we must ensure that the urgent needs of women, men and children of Syria – life-saving aid and early recovery – are prioritized and adequately resourced.”

“They are counting on your support to stay the course,” she said.

In other business

In other business this morning, the Security Council considered two draft resolutions, unanimously adopting one that renewed the UN mission in Iraq, UNAMI.

By a vote of 10 in favour, with 5 abstentions (China, Gabon, Ghana, Mozambique, Russia), the Council also adopted a draft resolution renewing the South Sudan sanctions regime, with some members expressing concerns that the measures would have a negative socioeconomic impact on the South Sudanese people.

For more details on the this and other meetings occurring throughout the UN system, visit our dedicated UN Meetings Coverage page.