Sexual Crimes in Conflict Database

A collection of relevant literature and case law

Showing all 2 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 non-judicial mechanisms

    International Commission of Inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic

    Issues
    Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes
    Country
    Syrian Arab Republic
    Keywords
    Forced Oral Sex Detention Centers Cigarette Burns Electroshock ISIS

    Reference link
    www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/IICISyria/Pages/IndependentInternationalCommission.aspx
    Type of mechanism
    Commission of Inquiry
    Name of mechanism
    International Commission of Inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
    Status
    2778
    Findings
    In its first report on 23 November 2011, the COI held that “several methods of torture, including sexual torture, were used by the military and the security forces in detention facilities across the country. Torture victims had scars and bore other visible marks. Detainees were also subjected to psychological torture, including sexual threats against them and their families and by being forced to worship President Al Assad instead of their god.” And: “several testimonies reported the practice of sexual torture used on male detainees. Men were routinely made to undress and remain naked. Several former detainees testified reported beatings of genitals, forced oral sex, electroshocks and cigarette burns to the anus in detention facilities. Several of the detainees were repeatedly threatened that they would be raped in front of their family and that their wives and daughters would also be raped. Testimonies were received from several men who stated they had been anally raped with batons and that they had witnessed the rape of boys. One man stated that he witnessed a 15-year-old boy being raped in front of his father. One 20-year-old university student told the commission that he was subjected to sexual violence in detention, adding that “if my father had been present and seen me, I would have had to commit suicide”. Another man confided while crying, “I don’t feel like a man any more”. Several women testified that they were threatened and insulted during house raids by the military and security forces. Women felt dishonored by the removal of their head scarves and the handling of their underwear during raids of their homes, which often occurred at night. Defectors from the military and the security forces indicated that they had been present in places of detention where women were sexually assaulted; the commission, however, received limited evidence to that effect. This may be due in part to the stigma that victims would endure if they came forward.” “Numerous testimonies indicated that boys were subjected to sexual torture in places of detention in front of adult men.” On the basis of the information and evidence collected, the commission has reached conclusions with regard to a number of serious violations of international human rights law. The major conclusions are summarized below. As for the sexual violence, the COI held: “Information received demonstrates patterns of continuous and widespread use of torture across the Syrian Arab Republic where protests have taken place. The pervasive nature, recurrence and reported readiness of Syrian authorities to use torture as a tool to instill fear indicate that State officials have condoned its practice. Information from military and security forces defectors indicates that they received orders to torture. The commission is particularly disturbed over the extensive reports of sexual violence, principally against men and boys, in places of detention. The commission concludes that the extensive practices of torture indicate a State sanctioned policy of repression, which manifestly violates the State’s obligations under article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture, and article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In addition, rape or other forms of sexual violence as crimes against humanity was also found to have occurred. In a preliminary report of 26 June 2012 again many instances of sexual violence are included. The COI held: “The CoI recognises the difficulties in collecting evidence in cases of sexual violence in the Syrian Arab Republic due to cultural, social and religious beliefs related to marriage and sexuality. This includes a victim’s understandable reluctance to disclose information due to the trauma, shame and stigma linked to sexual assault. Regarding one incident, the CoI was informed that the rape victim had subsequently been killed by her brother-in-law to “preserve the honor of the family”. The silence surrounding rape and other forms of sexual violence appears to have existed prior to the conflict as well. Nevertheless, interviews collected by the CoI indicate that crimes of sexual violence - against men, women and children - have continued to take place in the Syrian Arab Republic during the reporting period. The CoI conducted 23 interviews relating to allegations of sexual violence in this period, including with one victim. Information collected thus far indicates that rape and other forms of sexual violence occurred in two distinct circumstances. The first is during the searches of houses as Government forces entered towns and villages; the second, during interrogations in detention. Following the Government forces “move into the Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs in February 2012, and the commencement of house searches, the CoI received multiple reports of rape and sexual assaults taking place. In one incident, an interviewee stated that 40-50 men stormed into the family house, destroying and stealing property as the search took place. In his testimony, he described being forced to watch as his wife and two of his daughters were raped by three of the men involved. Afterwards, he stated, he, too, was raped while his family was made to watch. In a separate incident, a soldier with the Syrian army described seeing three of his colleagues sexually assault a 15-year-old girl during a house search in Zabadani in February 2012. According to the interviewee, he attempted to prevent the assault but he was threatened and beaten by the other soldiers, so he fled. The CoI also received corroborated reports of women being forced at gunpoint to walk naked in the streets of the Karm alZeytoun neighbourhood of Homs, again in February 2012. The CoI heard from an eye-witness a report on the gang-rape of a female activist during an interrogation at the military security building in Dara’a in late May 2012. The victim was reportedly found unconscious in the streets of Dara’a two days later. The eyewitness also reported being a victim of a sexual assault during the same interrogation. The CoI has received multiple, uncorroborated reports of incidences of rape and sexual assault of men and women while detained. The fear of rape and sexual assault has restricted the freedom of movement of women and young girls and has adversely affected the right to education of female students. One girl told the CoI that, since 24 April 2012, female students in Latakia governate were not attending school due to fear of such assaults. It was also apparent to the CoI that many of the women interviewed who had sought refuge in neighbouring countries had done so because they feared sexual assault. The CoI also notes the lack of medical or psychological services available to victims who suffer sexual violence.” Rape can constitute torture and the definition of rape based on the ICC EoC is cited. The list is endless. In its 10th report which was published on 13 August 2015, the COI concluded with regard to sexual violence that: (1) Government forced have committed crimes against humanity, including rape; (2) government forces have committed gross violations of human rights and war crimes, including rape and sexual violence; (3) ISIS has committed rape, sexual slavery and sexual violence amounting to crimes against humanity; (4) ISIS has committed rape and sexual violence as war crimes. The COI recommended with regard to sexual violence as follows: (1) that all parties prohibit and prevent absolutely torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including sexual violence.
    Date of report / release
    1915-08-13

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