Policy Paper: Prosecution of Crimes of Sexual Violence during Armed Conflicts before the Courts of the Republic of Serbia
Policy Paper: Prosecution of Crimes of Sexual Violence during Armed Conflicts before the Courts of the Republic of Serbia

Author(s): Ivana Žanić
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Criminal Law, International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Special Historiographies:, Wars in Jugoslavia
Published by: Fond za humanitarno pravo
Keywords: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); Sexual violence as a crime against humanity; Prosecution of wartime sexual violence; Gender-based violence; Rule of law; United Nations resolutions
Summary/Abstract: The establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) marked a turning point in the history of international law dealing with sexual violence committed during armed conflicts. The ICTY Statute contains one of the first defi nitions of rape as a crime against humanity. It reflects an eff ort to raise awareness of one of the traditionally least talked-about subjects—sexual violence during armed conflicts. Since its foundation, the ICTY has taken on the responsibility of establishing a practice for dealing with sexual and gendermotivated crimes committed in conflicts and of introducing important changes to the rules governing the treatment of victims of these crimes during court proceedings, along with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

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