Sexual Crimes in Conflict Database

A collection of relevant literature and case law

Showing all 3 results.

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Ivan Hrkac

    Issues
    Sexual Violence against Men
    Country
    Bosnia Herzegovina
    Keywords
    Accused at large Sexual Violence, Torture Prisoners of War Rape/Sexual Violence in Detention Forced Sexual Intercourse

    Reference link
    http://www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Case/989/Hrka%C4%8D/
    Type of mechanism
    Domestic court
    Name of mechanism
    Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Preliminary Hearing Judge)
    Name of accused
    Ivan Hrkac
    Charges
    The Indictment (of 27 December 2007) alleges that, from May 1993 to July 1993, as a member of the HVO Convicts Battalion, Hrkac inflicted severe physical and mental pain on prisoners of war, members of the Army of RBiH. According to the Indictment, Hrkac treated the detained Bosniak civilians in an inhumane manner, tortured them and forced them to sexual intercourse. Hrkac is charged in the indictment with the following crimes: - War Crimes against Civilians pursuant to Article 173(1) of the Criminal Code of BiH (CC BiH) in conjunction with the following items: c) Killings, intentional infliction of severe physical or mental pain or suffering upon a person (torture), inhuman treatment, and e) Unlawful bringing in concentration camps and other illegal arrests and detention. - War Crimes against Prisoners of War pursuant to Article 175(1) of the CC BiH in conjunction with the following item: a) depriving other persons of their life (murders), intentional infliction of severe physical or mental pain or suffering upon persons (tortures), inhuman treatment. All in conjunction with Article 29 (Accomplices) and Article 180(1) of the CC BiH (individual criminal responsibility).Although it is not entirely clear under which charges the sexual violence is brought, this is likely under torture and/or inhuman treatment as war crimes.The indictment was confirmed on 9 January 2008.
    Status
    2778
    Case number
    S1 1 K 002907 07 KRO (X-KR-06/170)

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber) - Boban Simsic

    Year
    2007
    Country
    Bosnia Herzegovina
    Keywords
    Detention Centers Humiliating and Degrading Treatment Persecution on Sexual Grounds Rape Sexual Violence, Persecution Sexual Violence, Torture Aiding

    Reference link
    http://www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Case/1187
    Type of mechanism
    Domestic court
    Name of mechanism
    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber)
    Name of accused
    Boban Simsic
    Charges
    Simsic was charged on 8 July 2005 (indictment confirmed) with persecution as a crime against humanity, including sexual violence (Article 172(1)(h) read with subparagraph (g) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina) for: (i) in the second half of June 1992, at the Fire Brigade premises in Višegrad, together with two Serbian soldiers, taking part in the harassment and rapes of ten girls and women of Bosniak ethnicity; (ii) whenSimsic was a guard at the facility of the Hasan Veletovac elementary school during the second half of June 1992, when Bosniak civilians were detained at the school, Simsic either on his own or together with other members of the Serbian army, police and paramilitary formations took part in the rape of a number of girls and young women.
    Trial chamber verdict
    On 11 July 2006, the Court rendered the first instance verdict finding the accused guilty of persecution as a crime against humanity, including sexual violence and sentencing him to 5 years’ imprisonment. The panel found the accused guilty of aiding in the enforced disappearance and rape of Bosniak civilians in the Hasan Veletovac school premises in Visegrad, which occurred as part of a widespread and systematic attack by the Serb Army, police and paramilitary groups directed against the Bosniac civilian population in the area of Visegrad between April and July 1992. The panel, however, found the accused not guilty of participation in attacks on villages Zljieb, Velji Lug and Kuka (municipality of Visegrad), illegal arrests and confinement, murder, rape, torture and infliction of serious injury or physical suffering to, and seizure of property of confined Bosniak civilians in the area of Visegrad between April and July 1992.
    sentencing
    At first instance Simsic was sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment. This, however, was increased to 14 year by the Appellate Panel.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    On 5 January 2007, the Appellate Panel rendered a decision upholding the appeals filed by the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and Defense and revoking the Trial Panel’s verdict. The same decision orders a retrial before the Appellate Panel. On 14 August 2007, the Appellate Panel handed down the final verdict finding Simsic guilty of persecution as a crime against humanity, including sexual violence and sentencing him to 14 years’ imprisonment. The Appellate Panel found that in the second half of June 1992, as a guard securing several hundred detained Bosniak civilians in the Hasan Veletovac Elementary School, together with other members of the Serb army, police, and paramilitary formations, Simsic participated in killings, enforced disappearance, and torture of detainees. He also aided in the coercing of girls and young women to sexual intercourse. In addition, on several occasions, Simsic took girls and younger women to other members of the Serb army who perpetrated multiple rapes, beatings and humiliation on them. Simsic was acquitted of the count which alleged that, on an undetermined date in the second half of June 1992, he took five girls and five younger women from the room in which Bosniak civilians were detained in the Fire Station in Visegrad, moving them to another room where, together with two Serb soldiers, he beat them and took turns raping them.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    X-KRZ-05/04

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber) - Mirko Vracevic

    Year
    2011
    Issues
    Sexual Violence against Children
    Country
    Bosnia Herzegovina
    Keywords
    Sexual Violence, Torture Sentencing Rape, Torture HVO Soldiers Accomplice Aiding and Abetting

    Reference link
    http://www.internationalcrimesdatabase.org/Case/1199
    Type of mechanism
    Domestic court
    Name of mechanism
    Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina (War Crimes Chamber)
    Name of accused
    Mirko Vracevic
    Charges
    Vracevic was charged on 1 December 2006 (indictment confirmed) with crimes against humanity, including sexual violence (Article 172(1)(g) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina), in conjunction with Articles 29 and 180(1) of the Criminal Code of BiH, for attacking the Bosnian Muslim civilian population of Mostar Municipality, in the period from July 1993 to March 1994. During the attack, inter alia, more than 70 Bosniak women, children and elderly were unlawfully arrested and detained in inhumane conditions in houses and other facilities in the village of Vojno, where they were exposed to physical and mental abuse, torture, rape and sexual violence.
    Trial chamber verdict
    On 20 February 2009, the Court pronounced the first-instance verdict finding the Vracevic guilty of crimes against humanity, including rape. Vracevic was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.
    sentencing
    Vracevic was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
    Appeals chamber verdict
    Panel of the Appellate Division of the Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina, having held the Appellate Panel session, handed down the decision on revoking the first-instance verdict of 20 February 2009 and ordering a hearing to be held before the Appellate Panel. The trial before the Appellate Panel was initiated on 6 July 2010. On 9 March 2011, the Appellate Panel of the Court of BiH pronounced the second-instance verdict finding the Vracevic guilty of crimes against humanity, including rape and other forms of sexual violence, under Article 29 (accomplice) and Article 180(1) (individual criminal responsibility - planning, instigating, ordering, perpetrating or otherwise aiding and abetting) of the Criminal Code of BiH.
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    KT-RZ 200/06 (Court Number X-KRN-06/300)

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