Sexual Crimes in Conflict Database

A collection of relevant literature and case law

Showing 41 to 50 of 67 results.

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber) - Zeljko Lelek

    Year
    2009
    Issues
    Modes of Liability
    Country
    Bosnia Herzegovina
    Keywords
    Acquittal Cigarette Burns Female Genital Cutting Genitalia Accomplice Psychological Impact

    Reference link
    http://www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Case/1048
    Type of mechanism
    Domestic court
    Name of mechanism
    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber)
    Name of accused
    Zeljko Lelek
    Charges
    Lelek was charged on 16 November 2006 (confirmed on 20 November 2006) with persecution as a crime against humanity, including rape (Article 172(1)(h) read with subparagraph (g) of the Criminal Code of BiH), under Article 29 (accomplice) and Article 180(1) (individual criminal responsibility) of the Criminal Code of BiH, for committing rape and other crimes in the area of the Višegrad Municipality against the Bosniak civilian population of the Višegrad Municipality in the period between April and June 1992. According to the indictment, in this period, together with Milan Lukic, Lelek raped a female person, who had been stripped naked and tied to the metal bed frame by an unidentified soldier, on orders from Milan Lukic. Lelek and Lukic allegedly abused the woman physically by putting out cigarettes on her body, stabbing her with a knife and cutting her in the genital area, while subjecting her to psychological abuse. The indictment further alleges that the Accused and others raped this person on daily basis over a period of ten days during which she was held captive. During the month of June 1992, the Accused allegedly raped several other women who were held in unlawful captivity.
    Trial chamber verdict
    On 23 May 2008, the Court handed down its first-instance verdict finding Lelek guilty of persecution as a crime against humanity, including rape. Lelek was found guilty of using force to coerce Bosniak women to sexual intercourse and other forms of severe sexual violence. Lelek was, however, acquitted of the charges that he, on an unspecified date in the summer of 1992, in a group with Mitar Vasiljevic and three other unidentified men, raped two Bosniak women in the Vilina vlas spa in April and June 1992 because based on the evidence adduced before the Court it could not be established that Lelek committed the crimes in question.
    sentencing
    Lelek was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment after the Appellate Panel revised his sentence.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    On 12 January 2009 the Appellate Panel modified the first-instance verdict in its sentencing part. Lelek was subsequently sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment. The conviction was upheld.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    (X-KRŽ-06/202)

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTY - Dragoljub Ojdanic ("Sainovic et al.; previously Milutinovic et al.")

    Year
    2009
    Issues
    Modes of Liability Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes
    Country
    Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Acquittal Aiding and Abetting Definition of Sexual Assault Extended Joint Criminal Enterprise Foreseeable Consequence Kunarac Knowledge of the Crimes

    Reference link
    http://www.icty.org/cases/party/740/4
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
    Name of accused
    Dragoljub Ojdanic ("Sainovic et al."; previously Milotinovic et al.)
    Charges
    Ojdanic was charged with: - Deportation as a crime against humanity and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer) as crimes against humanity under Article 7(1) for deliberately creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression through, inter alia, sexual assault of Kosovo Albanian women, in order to forcibly displace and deport Kosovo Albanian civilians; and - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) and 7(3), which included sexual assaults by forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia of the Kosovo Albanian population.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Ojdanic was found not guilty by the Trial Chamber on 26 February 2009 of: - Deportation as a crime against humanity and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer) as crimes against humanity; - Persecution as a crime against humanity. With regard to deportation as a crime against humanity and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer) as crimes against humanity, the Trial Chamber found that, while the forcible displacements were part of the VJ and MUP organized campaign, it was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that sexual assaults were intended aims of this campaign. The Trial Chamber found that it was not proved that Ojdanic was aware that the VJ and MUP were going into some specific crime sites in order to commit sexual assaults and, therefore, the Trial Chamber found that the mental element of aiding and abetting was not established in relation to these crimes. Moreover, it did not find that information regarding the specific sexual assaults, for which it was provided that the VJ was responsible, was available to Ojdanic or that he had reason to know about them.
    sentencing
    Ojdanic was sentenced by the Trial Chamber to 15 years’ imprisonment on 26 February 2009 (for other charges). His sentence was not appealed.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    IT-05-87

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTY - Milan Milutinovic ("Sainovic et al.; previously Milutinovic et al.")

    Year
    2009
    Issues
    Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes Modes of Liability
    Country
    Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Acquittal Definition of Sexual Assault Kunarac Persecution on Sexual Grounds Foreseeable Consequence Extended Joint Criminal Enterprise

    Reference link
    http://www.icty.org/cases/party/740/4
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
    Name of accused
    Milan Milutinovic
    Charges
    Milutinovic was charged with sexual violence crimes: - Deportation as a crime against humanity and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer) as crimes against humanity under Article 7(1) and 7(3) for deliberately creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression through, inter alia, sexual assault of Kosovo Albanian women, in order to forcibly displace and deport Kosovo Albanian civilians; - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) and 7(3), which included sexual assaults by forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia of the Kosovo Albanian population.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Milutinovic was acquitted by the Trial Chamber on 26 February 2009 on all charges in the indictment, thus also the sexual violence charges.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    IT-05-87https://www.nurembergacademy.org/typo3/index.php?route=%2Frecord%2Fedit&token=a980ada95207a1920df6d05d7e5322130ee2577e&edit[tx_svdatabase_domain_model_record][441]=edit&returnUrl=%2Ftypo3%2Findex.php%3FM%3Dweb_list%26moduleToken%3Dd464a6b5c4cb9d38

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTY - Mile Mrksic ("Mrksic et al.")

    Year
    2009
    Issues
    Evidentiary Rules Regarding Sexual Violence Prosecutions
    Country
    Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Acquittal

    Reference link
    http://www.icty.org/cases/party/748/4
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
    Name of accused
    Mile Mrksic ("Mrksic et al.")
    Charges
    Mrksic was charged with: - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility), which included sexual assault of Croats and other non-Serbs who were in the Vukovar hospital after the fall of Vukovar; - Torture as a crime against humanity, inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, torture as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime and cruel treatment as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility), which included sexual assault of a female detainee at the Ovcara farm.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Mrksic was found not guilty by the Trial Chamber on 27 September 2007 of: - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility); - Torture as a crime against humanity, inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, torture as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime and cruel treatment as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility). The Trial Chamber found that there was no evidence of sexual assault.
    sentencing
    Mrksic was sentenced by the Appeals Chamber to 20 years’ imprisonment on 5 May 2009 (for other charges).
    Appeals chamber verdict
    The issue was not discussed before the Appeals Chamber.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    IT-95-13/1

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTY - Momcilo Krajisnik

    Year
    2009
    Issues
    Modes of Liability
    Country
    Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Acquittal Persecution on Sexual Grounds Sexual Slavery Specific Intent Common Objective of JCE

    Reference link
    http://www.icty.org/cases/party/709/4
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
    Name of accused
    Momcilo Krajisnik
    Charges
    Krajisnik was charged with: - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE), which included rapes and sexual assault of Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats and other non-Serbs; - Causing serious bodily or mental harm as genocide and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction as genocide and/or complicity in genocide under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3), which included subjecting Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat detainees in various detention facilities to sexual violence.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Krajisnik was found guilty by the Trial Chamber on 27 September 2006 of persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE). Krajisnik was found not guilty by the Trial Chamber of causing serious bodily or mental harm as genocide and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction as genocide and/or complicity in genocide under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3), which included subjecting Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat detainees in various detention facilities to sexual violence. He was found not guilty of genocide since the specific intent for genocide could not be established.
    sentencing
    Krajisnik was sentenced by the Appeals Chamber to 20 years’ imprisonment on 17 March 2009 (for other charges).
    Appeals chamber verdict
    However, the Appeals Chamber on 17 March 2009 reversed the sexual violence conviction – i.e. persecution as a crime against humanity – as it found that the Trial Chamber committed an error as persecution fell outside the original common objective of the JCE, which only encompassed the crimes of deportation and forcible transfer.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    IT-00-39

  • Literature

    Buss, Doris E. - Learning Our Lessons?...

    Year
    2010
    Issues
    Achievements and Challenges of Sexual Violence Prosecution
    Country
    Rwanda
    Keywords
    Accountability Conviction Acquittal Prosecution

    Reference link
    https://www.routledge.com/Rethinking-Rape-Law-International-and-Comparative-Perspectives/McGlynn-Munro/p/book/9780203852194
    Full reference
    Buss, Doris, "Learning Our Lessons? The Rwanda Tribunal Record on Prosecuting Rape’", in Vanessa Munro and Clare McGlynn, Rethinking Rape Law: International and Comparative Perspectives, Routledge, 2010, pp. 61-75.
    Type of literature
    Journal Article
    Research focus
    Investigation, Prosecution and Prevention of Conflict related Sexual Violence
    Author
    Buss, Doris E.
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTY - Veselin Sljivancanin ("Mrksic et al.")

    Year
    2010
    Issues
    Evidentiary Rules Regarding Sexual Violence Prosecutions
    Country
    Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Acquittal

    Reference link
    http://www.icty.org/cases/party/748/4
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
    Name of accused
    Veselin Sljivancanin (“Mrksic et al.”)
    Charges
    Sljivancanin was charged with: - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility), which included sexual assault of Croats and other non-Serbs who were in the Vukovar hospital after the fall of Vukovar. - Torture as a crime against humanity, inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, torture as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime and cruel treatment as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility), which included sexual assault of a female detainee at the Ovcara farm.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Sljivancanin was found not guilty by the Trial Chamber (on 27 September 2007) of: - Persecution as a crime against humanity under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility); - Torture as a crime against humanity, inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, torture as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime and cruel treatment as a violation of the laws or customs of war as a war crime under Article 7(1) (JCE) and 7(3) (command responsibility). The Trial Chamber found that there was no evidence of sexual assault.
    sentencing
    Sljivancanin was sentenced by the Appeals Chamber to 10 years’ imprisonment on 8 December 2010.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    The issue was not discussed before the Appeals Chamber.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    IT-95-13/1

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    District Court of The Hague - Joseph Mpambara

    Year
    2011
    Issues
    Procedural Rules Advancing Sexual Violence Prosecutions Evidentiary Rules Regarding Sexual Violence Prosecutions
    Country
    Netherlands, Rwanda
    Keywords
    Acquittal Corroboration Lack of Jurisdiction Nexus with Armed Conflict

    Reference link
    http://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/inziendocument?id=ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2011:BR0686
    Type of mechanism
    District Court
    Name of accused
    Joseph Mpambara
    Charges
    Mpambara was charged with multiple crimes, including: - Rape as a war crime for the raping and attempting to rape a number of women.
    Trial chamber verdict
    On 23 March 2009, the District Court of The Hague convicted Mpambara of complicity in torture, but dismissed charges of war crimes, including rape (no sufficient link between his acts and an armed conflict was established) and genocide (due to a lack of jurisdiction).
    sentencing
    Mpambara was initially sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment, however, this was increased to life imprisonment by the Court of Appeal.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    On 7 July 2011, the Court of Appeal, however, disagreed and found that a sufficient link between his acts and an armed conflict was established. Mpambara was therefore found guilty, in addition to torture, of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, there were no convictions for the two rape charges. The Prosecution had not appealed the rape charge and/or the Court of Appeal held that there was not sufficient evidence to sustain the rape claims (no corroboration).
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    22-002613-09

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICC - Callixte Mbarushimana

    Year
    2012
    Issues
    Evidentiary Rules Regarding Sexual Violence Prosecutions
    Country
    Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
    Keywords
    Acquittal Insufficient Evidence Rape as Crime Against Humanity

    Reference link
    https://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/situation%20icc%200104/related%20cases/icc01040110/Pages/icc01040110.aspx
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Court
    Name of accused
    Callixte Mbarushimana
    Charges
    Mbarushimana was charged in a warrant of arrest of 28 September 2010 with crimes against humanity and war crimes to have been committed in the provinces of North and South Kivu in the DRC, including: - Rape as a crime against humanity; - Rape as a war crime (Article8(2)(b)(xxii) or 8(2)(e)(vi)). Both for having committed these acts of rape in the villages of Busheke in Kalehe territory, South Kivu; Miriki in Lubero territory, North Kivu; Pinga in Masisi territory, North Kivu; Remeka in Ufamandu groupement, Walikale territory, North Kivu; Busurungiin Walikale territory, North Kivu; and Manjein Masisi territory, North Kivu). Both under Article 25(3)(d). On 16 December 2011, Pre-Trial Chamber I decided by majority to decline to confirm the charges against Mbarushimana as there was not sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that he could be held criminally responsible, under article 25(3)(d) of the Rome Statute, for the counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity charged. Mbarushimana was released from the ICC’s custody on 23 December 2011.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    On 30 May 2012, the Appeals Chamber decided unanimously to dismiss the Prosecution’s appeal against the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I, declining to confirm the charges against Mbarushimana. The OTP is considering whether it can bring a new case against Mbarushimana.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    ICC-01/04-01/10

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTR - Idelphonse Hategekimana

    Year
    2012
    Issues
    Achievements and Challenges of Sexual Violence Prosecution
    Country
    Rwanda
    Keywords
    Genocidal Rape Tutsi Acquittal Command Responsibility Genocidal Intent

    Reference link
    http://www.unictr.org/en/cases/ictr-00-55b
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
    Name of accused
    Idelphonse Hategekimana
    Charges
    - Rape as a crime against humanity under Article 6(3) (command responsibility) for the rape of Nura Sezirahiga by a soldier from Ngoma Military Camp, during an attack led by Hategekimana.- Causing serious bodily or mental harm as genocide under Article 6(1) (JCE) for the sexual violence.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Hategekimana was found guilty by the Trial Chamber on 6 December 2010 of: - Rape as a crime against humanity Hategekimana was found not guilty by the Trial Chamber of: - Causing serious bodily or mental harm as genocide as the Trial Chamber found that the evidence did not establish that Nura Sezirahiga was a Tutsi or that she was raped with genocidal intent.
    sentencing
    Hategekimana was sentenced to life imprisonment.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    Hategekimana’s acquittal for genocide was not appealed by the prosecution. The Appeals Chamber on 8 May 2012 confirmed the conviction for sexual violence by the Trial Chamber.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    ICTR-00-55B

This is free software. Created with LinkAhead and Django. Licenced under AGPL version 3.0 (Sources).