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Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Disclosure - 14.05.2008 KAREMERA et al.
(ICTR-98-44-AR73.13)

9. The Appeals Chamber notes that Rule 68(A) of the Rules imposes an obligation on the Prosecution to disclose to the Defence, as soon as practicable, any material which, in the actual knowledge of the Prosecution, may suggest the innocence or mitigate the guilt of an accused or affect the credibility of the evidence led by the Prosecution in that particular case. The determination of which materials are subject to disclosure under this provision, is a fact-based enquiry made by the Prosecution.[1] If an appellant wishes to show that the Prosecution is in breach of its disclosure obligation, he or she must (1) identify specifically the material sought; (2) present a prima facie showing of its probable exculpatory nature; and (3) prove that the material requested is in the custody or under the control of the Prosecution. [2]

[1] Ferdinand Nahimana et al. v. The Prosecutor, Case No. ICTR-99-52-A, Decision on Appellant Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza’s Motions for Leave to Present Additional Evidence pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, 8 December 2006 (“Nahimana et al. Decision of 8 December 2006”), para. 34, referring to inter alia Ferdinand Nahimana et al. v. The Prosecutor, Case No. ICTR-99-52-A, Decision on Appellant Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza’s Motion Requesting that the Prosecution Disclosure of the Interview of Michel Bagaragaza Be Expunged from the Record, 30 October 2006, para. 6; The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-AR73.6, Decision on Joseph Nzirorera’s Interlocutory Appeal, 28 April 2006, para. 16.

[2] Nahimana et al. Decision of 8 December 2006, para. 34.

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ICTR Rule Rule 68 ICTY Rule Rule 68
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Disclosure - 14.05.2008 KAREMERA et al.
(ICTR-98-44-AR73.13)

The Appeals Chamber ruled that the Trial Chamber applied an incorrect legal standard when it held that where a document contains both exculpatory and incriminating information on the same issue, all the information on that particular issue “must be read in context” and “only information, that, when read in its entirety tends to be exculpatory, must [it] be disclosed under Rule 68(A) [of the Rules]” (paras 12-13):

12. The Appeals Chamber agrees with the Appellant’s contention that Rule 68 of the Rules, as a rule of disclosure rather than admissibility of evidence, imposes a categorical obligation to disclose any document or witness statement that contains exculpatory material. Consequently, this obligation is not subject to a balancing test. Because the Trial Chamber applied an incorrect legal standard, it by definition committed a discernible error. The Appeals Chamber notes that the Trial Chamber earlier considered alleged violations of Rule 68(A) of the Rules,[1] and adopted the reasoning from a decision in the Bagosora et al. case.[2] In that case, the Trial Chamber, when considering whether certain witnesses’ statements contained excuplatory material, ruled that:

whether [the] information “may suggest the innocence or mitigate the guilt of the accused” must depend on an evaluation of whether there is any possibility, in light of the submissions of the parties, that the information could be relevant to the defence of the accused.[3]

The Appeals Chamber considers this to be the correct standard for assessing whether certain material is to be considered as exculpatory within the meaning of Rule 68(A) of the Rules. In this case, the Trial Chamber, by reasoning that exculpatory material in a document could be rendered nugatory by the existence of inculpatory material, applied an incorrect legal standard resulting in an abuse of its discretion.

[1] See The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T, Decision on Joseph Nzirorera’s Notice of Rule 68 Violations and Motions for Remedial and Punitive Measures, 25 October 2007 (“Karemera et al. Decision of 25 October 2007”).

[2] Karemera et al. Decision of 25 October 2007, para. 6, referring to The Prosecutor v. Bagosora et al., Case No. ICTR-98-41-T, Decision on Disclosure of Defence Witness Statements in the Possession of the Prosecution Pursuant to Rule 68(A), 8 March 2006 (“Bagosora et al. Decision”) para. 5.

[3] Bagosora et al. Decision, para. 5.

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ICTR Rule Rule 68 ICTY Rule Rule 68
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 29.04.2008 MILOŠEVIĆ Dragomir
(IT-98-29/1-A)

7. In previous cases, the Appeals Chamber has found special circumstances where there is an acute justification, such as the applicant’s medical need or a memorial service for a near family member.[1] The Appeals Chamber has also granted provisional release for a visit to a close family member in “extremely poor health and whose death is believed to be imminent”.[2] Where a convicted person simply “wishes to spend time with his family”[3] or seeks to visit a close relative in poor health,[4] the Appeals Chamber has refused the application upon the grounds that such reasons are not sufficient to establish special circumstances. In the present case, the medical evidence presented by Mr. Milošević indicates that [REDACTED].[5] The Appeals Chamber considers that even if [REDACTED], there is no suggestion of an acute crisis or of life-threatening medical condition that constitutes a “special circumstance” warranting provisional release. Further, Mr. Mi1ošević’s request to attend his son’s wedding is not a “special circumstance” within the meaning of Rule 65(I)(iii) of the Rules and under the Appeals Chamber’s jurisprudence. In light of the foregoing, the Appeals Chamber finds that Mr. Milošević fails to show the existence of “special circumstances” under Rule 65(I)(iii) of the Rules and does not therefore deem it necessary to assess whether the requirements of Rule 65(I)(i)-(ii) are satisfied.

[1] Brðanin Decision, para. 6 [Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brðanin, Case No. IT-99-36-A, Decision on Radoslav Brðanin’s Motion for Provisional Release, 23 February 2007]; Galić Decision, para. 15 [Prosecutor v. Stanislav Galić, Case No. IT-98-29-A, Decision on Defence Request for Provisional Release of Stanislav Galić, 23 March 2005]; Simić Decision, para. 20 [Prosecutor v. Blagoje Simić, Case No. IT-95-9-A, Decision on Motion of Blagoje Simić Pursuant to Rule 65(I) for Provisional Release for a Fixed Period to Attend Memorial Services for his Father, 21 October 2004].

[2] Knojelac Decision, pp. 2-3 [Prosecution v. Milorad Krnojelac, Case No. IT-97-25-A, Decision on Application for Provisional Release, 12 December 2002]; Prosecutor v. Pavle Strugar, Case No. IT-01-42-A, Decision on the Renewed Defence Request Seeking Provisional Release on Compassionate Grounds, 15 April 2008, para. 11.

[3] Simić Decision [Prosecutor v. Pavle Strugar, Case No. IT-01-42-A, Decision on Defence Request Seeking Provisional Release on the Grounds of Compassion, 2 April 2008, Public Redacted Version], para. 21.

[4] Strugar Decision, para. 13; Brðanin Decision, para. 6, referring to Prosecutor v. Miroslav Kvočka et al., Case No. IT-98-30/1-A, Order of the Appeals Chamber on the Motion for Provisional Release by Miroslav Kvočka, 11 September 2002.

[5] Confidential Attachment D to the Application.

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 25.04.2008 PRLIĆ et al.
(IT-04-74-AR65.8)

16. Concerning whether the humanitarian reasons identified by the Accused were sufficient to justify provisional release, the Appeals Chamber reiterates that provisional release should only be granted at a late stage of the proceedings, and in particular after the close of the Prosecution case, when sufficiently compelling humanitarian reasons exist to justify the release and, even when provisional release is found to be justified in light of the nature of the circumstances, the length of the release should nonetheless be proportional to these circumstances- for example, the need to visit a seriously ill family member in the hospital would justify provisional release of a sufficient time to visit the family member.[1]

17. […] The Appeals Chamber […] finds that the Trial Chamber did not abuse its discretion in considering that the gravity of the illness suffered by the Accused’s family members justify the provisional release of the Accused for a short period of time.

[1] Prosecutor v. Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR65.7, Decision on “Prosecution’s Appeal from Décision Relative à la Demande de Mise en Liberté Provisoire de l’Accusé Petković Dated 31 March 2008” , 21 April 2008, (“Petković Decision”), para. 17; [Prosecutor v. Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR65.5, Decision on Prosecution’s Consolidated Appeal against Decisions to Provisionally Release the Accused Prlić, Stojić, Praljak, Petković and Ćorić, 11 March 2008], para. 21.

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 25.04.2008 PRLIĆ et al.
(IT-04-74-AR65.8)

The Appeals Chamber upheld the Trial Chamber’s finding that the humanitarian reasons identified by the Accused were sufficiently compelling to grant provisional release at a late stage of the proceedings. However, the Appeals Chamber considered that a proportion must exist between the nature and weight of the humanitarian grounds and the duration of provisional release. On this basis, the Appeals Chamber remanded the Impugned Decision to the Trial Chamber for a de novo adjudication of the duration of the provisional release granted to the Accused.

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 25.04.2008 PRLIĆ et al.
(IT-04-74-AR65.8)

18. […] The Appeals Chamber reiterates that decisions on motions for provisional release are fact intensive; cases are considered on an individual basis in light of the particular circumstances of the individual accused. The number of factors that a Trial Chamber is to consider does not only influence the decision of whether to grant or deny a motion for provisional release, but also impacts on the assessment of the duration of the period of provisional release, if any. Thus, inter alia, a Trial Chamber is to address the proportionality between the nature and weight of the circumstances justifying provisional release on humanitarian grounds, and the duration of provisional release.[1]

19. The Appeals Chamber notes that the Trial Chamber did not engage in such an evaluation. Absent such an evaluation, the Appeals Chamber is not satisfied that the justifications offered by the Accused warrant the length of provisional release granted by the Trial Chamber. Rather, a Trial Chamber properly exercising its discretion would have granted provisional release for a period no longer than the time necessary for the Accused to visit his ailing family members.

[1] Petković Decision, para. 17.

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Expunging a Submission from the Record - 25.04.2008 MUVUNYI Tharcisse
(ICTR-00-55A-A)

Muvunyi made two additional written submissions, after the appeal hearing, relating to (i) a response to a question raised by one of the Judges about whether the omission of a certain fact from the Indictment rendered it defective for lack of notice; and (ii) mitigating factors in sentencing. The Prosecution objected to these submissions and requested that they be expunged from the record.

5. In the Appeals Chamber’s view, Muvunyi’s submission in this respect does not constitute an attempt to vary the grounds of appeal pursuant to Rule 108 of the Rules, but is instead an attempt to clarify and expand upon an existing ground of appeal based on the question raised by a Judge during the Appeals Hearing. The Appeals Chamber further notes that, if it had considered that additional submissions were necessary for the fair determination of the appeal, it would have asked Counsel to provide further submissions on that question. However, in the absence of a specific request by the Appeals Chamber or prior leave granted by it, there is no provision in the Rules under which a party may make written submissions after the hearing of the appeal for the purpose of clarifying issues raised during the hearing. Counsel for Muvunyi had the opportunity of addressing this issue during the Appeals Hearing in response to the question, but did not do so. The Appeals Chamber did not request further submissions nor did Counsel for Muvunyi seek leave to make additional submissions on this point.[1] The Appeals Chamber is therefore satisfied that this submission should not be considered further.

6. [. .  .] Muvunyi has not previously raised this issue[2] nor was it raised during the Appeals Hearing by the Judges or either of the parties. In the Appeals Chamber’s view, this therefore constitutes a new submission going beyond the existing grounds of appeal.

7. The Appeals Chamber recalls that pursuant to Rule 108 of the Rules, the Appeals Chamber “may, on good cause being shown by motion, authorise a variation of the grounds of appeal”. Such requests must be made “as soon as possible after identifying the new alleged error”[3] of the Trial Chamber, and must “at least, explain precisely what amendments are sought and why, with respect to each such amendment, the ‘good cause’ requirement of Rule 108 [of the Rules] is satisfied”.[4] In the present case, the Appeals Chamber is not convinced that Muvunyi has properly sought leave to amend his grounds of appeal, nor that he has shown good cause. The Appeals Chamber is therefore satisfied that this submission should not be considered further.

[1] The situation in the present case therefore differs from that in Prosecutor v. Anto Furundžija, where a Judge asked Counsel for Anto Furundžija a question during the appeals hearing about a finding in a specific case. Counsel indicated that he would “be glad to go back to it and check it for you” (Prosecutor v. Anto Furundžija, Case No. IT-95-17/1-A, AT. 2 March 2000 p. 189). In that case, the Appeals Chamber admitted a document filed by Anto Furundžija subsequent to the hearing on the basis that the Judge’s “request for information during oral hearings constitutes good cause for its admission”. Prosecutor v. Anto Furundžija, Case No. IT-95-17/1-A, Decision on Defence Filings Subsequent to the Close of the Appeal Hearing, 5 May 2000, p. 3.

[2] In his Appeal Brief, Muvunyi challenged the factual finding that he had assisted the Bicunda family and also argued that since this finding underpins his conviction under Article 6(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal (“Statute”) for aiding and abetting the attack at Groupe Scolaire, it was impermissibly used in aggravation (Muvunyi Appeal Brief, para. 114). Muvunyi also did not address this issue in his Response Brief to the Prosecutor’s appeal on sentence.

[3] Ferdinand Nahimana et al. v. The Prosecutor, Case No. ICTR-99-52-A, Decision on Appellant Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza’s Motions for Leave to Submit Additional Grounds of Appeal, to Amend the Notice of Appeal and to Correct his Appellant’s Brief, 17 August 2006 (“Barayagwiza Decision of 17 August 2006”), para. 9; Barayagwiza Decision of 5 March 2007, para. 13. See also Prosecutor v. Mladen Naletilić and Vinko Martinović, Case No. IT-98-34-A, Decision on Mladen Naletilić’s Motion for Leave to File Pre-Submission Brief, 13 October 2005, pp. 2-3.

[4] Barayagwiza Decision of 17 August 2006, para. 9; Barayagwiza Decision of 5 March 2007 [Ferdinand Nahimana et al. v. The Prosecutor, Case No. ICTR-99-52-A, Decision on the Prosecutor’s Motion to Pursue the Oral Request for the Appeals Chamber to Disregard Certain Arguments Made by Counsel for Appellant Barayagwiza at the Appeals Hearing on 17 January 2007, 5 March 2007], para. 13; Prosecutor v. Vidoje Blagojević and Dragan Jokić, Case No. IT-02-60-A, Decision on Dragan Jokić’s Request to Amend Notice of Appeal, 14 October 2005, para. 7. See also Practice Direction on Formal Requirements for Appeals from Judgement, 4 July 2005, paras. 2-3.

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ICTR Rule Rule 108 ICTY Rule Rule 108
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 23.04.2008 PRLIĆ et al.
(IT-04-74-AR65.6)

In assessing the Prosecution’s contention that the Trial Chamber abused its discretion in granting Pušić provisional release, the Appeals Chamber first analysed whether the Trial Chamber considered the change of circumstances constituted by the Rule 98bis Decision. 

12. The Appeals Chamber finds that, contrary to the Prosecution’s contention,[1] the Trial Chamber did explicitly examine the impact of its 98bis Decision in analysing whether to grant Pušić provisional release,[2] in accordance with the Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008.[3] The Trial Chamber recalled that though its 98bis Decision found sufficient evidence for “all the counts of the indictment under JCE 1 and 3” it “was careful to note that it was dismissing the motions for acquittal based on the Prosecution evidence alone and that this decision was valid solely for the purposes of the procedure under Rule 98bis”.[4] The Trial Chamber explained it only considered the inculpatory evidence and not the “exculpatory evidence”, and left assessment of the probative value of the evidence to the end of trial, when it could enter a judgement of acquittal notwithstanding the 98bis Decision.[5] The Trial Chamber reasoned that its 98bis Decision therefore “may not be considered as a 'pre-judgement' increasing the flight risk of the Accused”.[6] The Trial Chamber further analysed Pušić’s risk of flight and danger to victims, witnesses or other persons, following the 98bis Decision, in light of Pušić’s compliance with the terms imposed in prior decisions on provisional release.[7]

13. Moreover, construing the Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008 to express “the Appeals Chamber’s concern for obtaining additional guarantees against the risk of flight”, the Trial Chamber imposed strict additional measures of around-the-clock surveillance and a weekly report from the authorities of the Republic of Croatia to the Trial Chamber.[8] The Trial Chamber also limited the period of provisional release to three weeks to “enable police authorities of the Republic of Croatia to carry out effective surveillance” of Pušić.[9] Therefore, the Appeals Chamber finds, Judge Schomburg dissenting, that the Prosecution failed to demonstrate any discernible error in the Trial Chamber’s evaluation of the impact of its Rule 98bis Decision on the risk of flight or danger to any victim, witness or any other person.

[1] Appeal, paras 20, 21.

[2] Impugned Decision [Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-T, Décision Relative à la Demande de Mise en Liberté Provisoire de l’Accusé Pušić (with Confidential Annex), 19 March 2008], pp. 3, 5-8.

[3] Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008 [Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR65.5, Decision on Prosecution’s Consolidated Appeal Against Decisions to Provisionally Release the Accused Prlić, Stojić, Praljak, Petković and ]orić, 11 March 2008], paras 19, 20.

[4] Impugned Decision, pp. 5-6.

[5] Impugned Decision, p. 6.

[6] Impugned Decision, p. 6.

[7] Impugned Decision, pp. 7, 8. Concerning the Prosecution’s allegation regarding Pušić’s contact with two witnesses while provisionally released in 2006, the Appeals Chamber already found that “it was within the discretion of the Trial Chamber to conclude that Berislav Pušić has always respected the conditions imposed upon him during his various provisional releases” (Prlić Decision of 20 July 2007 [Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR65.4, Decision on the Prosecution Appeal of the Trial Chamber’s “Décision Relative à la Demande de Mise en Liberté Provisoire de l’Accusé Pušić”, 20 July 2007], para. 21). It is further worth noting that the Prosecution does not allege that Pušić has tried to contact any witness or has posed any danger to any victim, witness or other person, while on provisional release, after the 2006 incidents.    

[8] Impugned Decision, pp. 7-8, referring to Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008, paras 20, 21. The Appeals Chamber notes that, although not specifically acknowledged by the Trial Chamber, these measures are also significant as a deterrent to any potential danger to victims, witnesses and other persons.

[9] Impugned Decision, p. 10. 

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Provisional Release - 23.04.2008 PRLIĆ et al.
(IT-04-74-AR65.6)

12. […] Rule 65(B) of the Rules does not mandate humanitarian justification for provisional release. Unlike for convicted persons seeking provisional release under Rule 65(I), there is no requirement of additional “special circumstances”[1] justifying release under Rule 65(B) because the burden borne by a duly convicted person after full evaluation and adjudication is necessarily distinct from the burden borne by an individual who is still presumed innocent. Of course, if the two requirements of Rule 65(B) are met, the existence of humanitarian reasons warranting release can be a salient and relevant factor in assessing whether to exercise discretion to grant provisional release. In this respect, “the weight attached to humanitarian reasons as justification for provisional release will differ from one defendant to another depending upon all the circumstances of a particular case”.[2]

15. Because Rule 65(B) of the Rules does not require “sufficiently compelling” humanitarian reasons for provisional release, this Bench understands the Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008[3] to have ruled that it is only when a Trial Chamber, having considered all the circumstances of the case and the impact of the significant change of circumstances constituted by the 98bis decision, cannot exclude the existence of flight risk or danger, that “sufficiently compelling” humanitarian reasons, coupled with necessary and sufficient measures to alleviate any flight risk or danger, can constitute a basis for resolving uncertainty and doubt in favour of provisional release. Indeed, in the Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008, the Appeals Chamber asked for the existence of sufficiently compelling humanitarian reasons after having found that the Trial Chamber did not evaluate the impact of its 98bis Decision pursuant to the two requirements of Rule 65(B) of the Rules, thus amounting to a lack of clarity as to the existence of a flight risk or danger. Only then did the Appeals Chamber, faced with a situation in which such a risk or danger could not be excluded, require sufficiently compelling humanitarian reasons. This is not the situation in the present instance. As mentioned above, the Trial Chamber stated that its 98bis Decision “may not be considered as a 'pre-judgement' increasing the flight risk of the Accused”[4] and seriously tightened the conditions of Pušić’s provisional release,[5] thus alleviating any risk of flight or danger to victims, witnesses or other persons. “Sufficiently compelling” humanitarian reasons are thus not required here. […]

[1] Rule 65(I)(iii) of the Rules. See also Prosecutor v. Pavle Strugar, Case No. IT-01-42-A, Decision on Defence Request Seeking Provisional Release on the Grounds of Compassion, 2 April 2008, paras 11, 12, in which the Appeals Chamber stated that “[t]he specificity of the appeal stage is reflected by Rule 65(I)(iii) of the Rules, which provide for an additional criterion, i.e. that 'special circumstances exist warranting such release' [and that] the notion of acute justification [is] inextricably linked to the scope of special circumstances for the purposes of Rule 65(I)(iii) of the Rules”. The Appeals Chamber further recalls that the criterion of “exceptional circumstances” that used to be required by the Rules for provisional release of an accused pending trial has been abrogated by amendment of 17 November 1999 (IT/32/REV.17). Before this amendment of the Rules, Rule 65(B) stated (IT/32/REV.16, 2 July 1999 (emphasis added)):

(B) Release may be ordered by a Trial Chamber only in exceptional circumstances, after hearing the host country and only if it is satisfied that the accused will appear for trial and, if released, will not pose a danger to any victim, witness or other person.

[2] Prosecutor v. Vujadin Popović et al., Case No. IT-05-88-AR65.3, Decision on Interlocutory Appeal of Trial Chamber’s Decision Denying Ljubomir Borovčanin Provisional Release, 1 March 2007, para. 20.

[3] Prlić Decision of 11 March 2008, para. 21.

[4] Impugned Decision, p. 6.

[5] Impugned Decision, pp. 7-8, 10.

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ICTR Rule Rule 65 ICTY Rule Rule 65
Notion(s) Filing Case
Appeal Judgement - 22.04.2008 HADŽIHASANOVIĆ & KUBURA
(IT-01-47-A)

13. Pursuant to Article 23(2) of the Statute and Rule 98ter(C) of the Rules, Trial Chambers have an obligation to set out a reasoned opinion in writing.[1] This right is one of the elements of the fair trial requirement embodied in Articles 20 and 21 of the Statute. In the Furundzija Appeal Judgement, the Appeals Chamber held that Article 23 of the Statute treats the right of an accused to a reasoned opinion as one of the elements of the fair trial requirement embodied in Articles 20 and 21 of the Statute.[2] With regard to legal findings, this obligation does not require a Trial Chamber to discuss at length all of the case-law of the International Tribunal on a given legal issue but only to identify the precedents upon which its findings are based. With regard to factual findings, a Trial Chamber is required only to make findings on those facts which are essential to the determination of guilt on a particular count. It is not necessary to refer to the testimony of every witness or every piece of evidence on the trial record.[3] In short, a Trial Chamber should limit itself to indicating in a clear and articulate, yet concise manner, which, among the wealth of jurisprudence available on a given issue and the myriad of facts that emerged at trial, are the legal and factual findings on the basis of which it reached the decision either to convict or acquit an individual. A reasoned opinion consistent with the guidelines provided here allows for a useful exercise of the right of appeal by the Parties and enables the Appeals Chamber to understand and review the Trial Chamber’s findings as well as its evaluation of the evidence.[4] While the Appeals Chamber appreciates the care with which the Trial Chamber has expressed itself in the Trial Judgement, the Appeals Chamber is constrained to observe that the Trial Chamber might have been more sparing in its efforts in this respect.

[1] Naletilić and Martinović Appeal Judgement, para. 603; Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 23; Kunarac et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 41; Furundžija Appeal Judgement, para. 69.

[2] Furundžija Appeal Judgement, para. 69. See also Naletilić and Martinović Appeal Judgement, para. 603; Kunarac et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 41.

[3] Kvocka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 23; Kordić and Čerkez Appeal Judgement, para. 382; Kupreškić et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 39; Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 498.

[4] Kunarac et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 41.

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ICTR Statute Article 19;
Article 20;
Article 22(2)
ICTY Statute Article 23(2) ICTR Rule Rule 88(C) ICTY Rule Rule 98 ter(C)
Notion(s) Filing Case
Appeal Judgement - 22.04.2008 HADŽIHASANOVIĆ & KUBURA
(IT-01-47-A)

20. In Čelebići, the Appeals Chamber underscored that effective control is the ultimate standard and that a showing of effective control is required in cases involving both de jure and de facto superiors.[1] The Appeals Chamber further noted:

In determining questions of responsibility it is necessary to look to effective exercise of power or control and not to formal titles. […] In general, the possession of de jure power in itself may not suffice for the finding of command responsibility if it does not manifest in effective control, although a court may presume that possession of such power prima facie results in effective control unless proof to the contrary is produced.[2]

21. Even when a superior is found to have de jure authority over his subordinates, the Prosecution still has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that this superior exercised effective control over his subordinates, unless the accused does not challenge having exercised such control.[3] By holding that “a court may presume that possession of [de jure] power prima facie results in effective control”,[4] the Appeals Chamber in Čelebići did not reverse the burden of proof. It simply acknowledged that the possession of de jure authority constitutes prima facie a reasonable basis for assuming that an accused has effective control over his subordinates. Thus, the burden of proving beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had effective control over his subordinates ultimately rests with the Prosecution.

[1] Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 196. See also para. 256 (“[t]he concept of effective control over a subordinate – in the sense of a material ability to prevent or punish criminal conduct, however that control is exercised – is the threshold to be reached in establishing a superior-subordinate relationship for the purpose of Article 7(3) of the Statute”); para. 266 (“[C]ustomary law has specified a standard of effective control”); Halilović Appeal Judgement, para. 59.

[2] Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 197.

[3] Depending on the circumstances of the case, a finding that an accused had de jure authority will not necessarily lead to the conclusion that he had effective control over his subordinates. In Blagojević, for example, the Trial Chamber found that Vidoje Blagojević was in command and control of all units of the Brutanac Brigade. This conclusion reflected its assessment of his de jure authority over all the members of the brigade, including Momir Nikolić (Blagojević and Jokić Trial Judgement, para. 419). The Trial Chamber however concluded that, in light of the actual facts on the ground, Vidoje Blagojević lacked effective control over Momir Nikolić (Blagojević and Jokić Trial Judgement, para. 795). The Appeals Chamber in Blagojević found that it did not consider the conclusions regarding the scope of Vidoje Blagojević’s authority irreconcilable with the finding that he did not exercise effective control over Momir Nikolić (Blagojević Appeal Judgement, para. 302). See also Halilović Appeal Judgement, para. 85 (the Appeals Chamber held that “de jure power is not synonymous with effective control” and that “the former may not in itself amount to the latter”).

[4] Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 197.

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Appeal Judgement - 22.04.2008 HADŽIHASANOVIĆ & KUBURA
(IT-01-47-A)

30. While a superior’s knowledge of and failure to punish his subordinates’ past offences is insufficient, in itself, to conclude that the superior knew that similar future offences would be committed by the same group of subordinates, this may, depending on the circumstances of the case, nevertheless constitute sufficiently alarming information to justify further inquiry.[1] In making such an assessment, a Trial Chamber may take into account the failure by a superior to punish the crime in question. Such failure is indeed relevant to the determination of whether, in the circumstances of a case, a superior possessed information that was sufficiently alarming to put him on notice of the risk that similar crimes might subsequently be carried out by subordinates and justify further inquiry. In this regard, the Appeals Chamber stresses that a superior’s failure to punish a crime of which he has actual knowledge is likely to be understood by his subordinates at least as acceptance, if not encouragement, of such conduct with the effect of increasing the risk of new crimes being committed.

31. In the present case, the Trial Chamber, when it reviewed the Appeals Chamber’s application of the “had reason to know” standard in the Krnojelac case, found that “[o]ver and beyond the conclusions of the Appeals Chamber, the Chamber is of the opinion that by failing to take measures to punish crimes of which he has knowledge, the superior has reason to know that there is a real and reasonable risk those unlawful acts might recur”.[2] It further found that “by failing to punish, the superior (Krnojelac) did not prevent subsequent criminal acts”.[3] Those findings could be read as implying that a superior’s failure to punish a crime of which he has knowledge automatically constitutes sufficiently alarming information under the “had reason to know” standard, irrespective of the circumstances of the case. Such reading would amount to an error of law. However, the Trial Chamber also found that “from the moment a certain amount of information was available to Krnojelac which, taken as a whole, was sufficiently alarming and such as to alert him to the risk of murders being committed inside the prison, he had an obligation to intervene and at the least should have carried out an investigation”.[4] It also referred to the “had reason to know” standard as requiring an assessment of whether a superior had sufficiently alarming information which would have alerted him to the risk that crimes might be committed by his subordinates.[5] This demonstrates that the Trial Chamber correctly understood that standard as requiring an assessment, in the circumstances of each case, of whether a superior had sufficiently alarming information to put him on notice that crimes might be committed. […].

See also paras 267-268.

[1] Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, para. 169.

[2] Trial Judgement, para. 133. The Trial Chamber’s reliance on these findings appears to be misplaced. Indeed, the Appeals Chamber did not rely on Milorad Krnojelac’s failure to punish the acts of torture committed by his subordinate against Ekrem Zeković when determining whether he had reason to know that his subordinates had committed or might commit crimes of torture other than those related to Ekrem Zeković. However, it seems likely that this may be due to the particular context of that case, in which Milorad Krnojelac was not charged with criminal responsibility for the torture inflicted upon Ekrem Zeković, rather that for any legal reasons.

[3] Trial Judgement, para. 156, citing Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, para. 172. See also para. 166: “by failing to punish crimes of which he has knowledge, the superior has reason to know that there is a real and reasonable risk that the unlawful acts will be committed again”.

[4] Trial Judgement, para. 135, citing Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, paras 178-179.

[5] Trial Judgement, para. 132.

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33. As the Appeals Chamber previously held, “what constitutes [necessary and reasonable] measures is not a matter of substantive law but of evidence”;[1] the assessment of whether a superior fulfilled his duty to prevent or punish under Article 7(3) of the Statute has to be made on a case-by-case basis, so as to take into account the “circumstances surrounding each particular situation”.[2] Under Article 86 of Additional Protocol I, for example, superiors have a duty to take “all feasible measures within their power” to prevent or punish a breach of the laws of war and, under Article 87 of Additional Protocol I, such “feasible measures” may take the form of both “disciplinary or penal” measures.[3] It cannot be excluded that, in the circumstances of a case, the use of disciplinary measures will be sufficient to discharge a superior of his duty to punish crimes under Article 7(3) of the Statute. In other words, whether the measures taken were solely of a disciplinary nature, criminal, or a combination of both, cannot in itself be determinative of whether a superior discharged his duty to prevent or punish under Article 7(3) of the Statute. The Prosecution’s argument is dismissed.

142. As a preliminary matter, the Appeals Chamber notes that the Trial Judgment and the Parties’ arguments on appeal place undue emphasis on the nature of the measures taken. The Appeals Chamber recalls that the relevant inquiry is whether a reasonable trier of fact could conclude that Hadžihasanović took measures to punish the perpetrators which were “necessary and reasonable” in the circumstances of the case,[4] not whether those measures were of a disciplinary or criminal nature.

154. The Appeals Chamber recalls that a superior need not dispense punishment personally and may discharge his duty to punish by reporting the matter to the competent authorities.[5] Here, the Appeals Chamber finds that the reporting of the 5 August 1993 Slavonija Furniture Salon crimes to the Bugojno municipal public prosecutor, in conjunction with the disciplinary sanctions imposed by the military disciplinary organ in Bugojno, constituted necessary and reasonable measures to punish the perpetrators. The Appeals Chamber recognises that the District Military Prosecutor’s Office, rather than that of the municipal public prosecutor, would have likely been a more appropriate forum for the filing of a criminal report,[6] but finds that Hadžihasanović’s responsibility should not turn on the Bugojno municipal public prosecutor’s possible failure to initiate criminal proceedings or to refer the matter to the District Military Prosecutor.[7] The Appeals Chamber notes that Witness Sead Zerić, the former Travnik District Military Prosecutor, testified that municipal public prosecutors had an obligation to pass on criminal reports they received regarding army personnel to the military prosecutor’s office when these dealt with crimes outside their jurisdiction.[8]

[1] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 72. See also Halilović Appeal Judgement, paras 63-64.

[2] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 417.

[3] Article 86 of Additional Protocol I states that superiors are responsible if, inter alia, they did not take “all feasible measures within their power to prevent or repress the breach”. Article 87 of Additional Protocol I states that superiors have a duty to “initiate such steps as are necessary to prevent such violations […] and, where appropriate, to initiate disciplinary or penal action against violators thereof” (emphasis added).

[4] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 417. See also supra para. 33.

[5] See Blaskić Trial Judgement, para. 335, cited with approval by the Blaskić Appeal Judgement, para. 72.

[6] The district military courts, including the Travnik District Military Court, operated independently of the ABiH and were established primarily to try criminal offences committed by military personnel (Trial Judgement, paras 907-938) while the civilian court system, including the office of the municipal public prosecutor, had jurisdiction to try criminal offences committed by civilians and, in some limited cases, members of the military (Trial Judgement, paras 953-957).

[7] See Čelebići Trial Judgement, para. 395 (stating that a superior may only be held criminally responsible for failing to take such measures that are within his powers). See also Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 417.

[8] Witness Sead Zerić, T. 5594.

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228. The Appeals Chamber agrees with the Trial Chamber that the fact that a superior is compelled to use force to control some of his subordinates does not automatically lead to the conclusion that this superior does not exercise effective control over them.[1] The Appeals Chamber concurs with the Trial Chamber’s finding that this issue must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.[2] Further, there might be situations in which a superior has to use force against subordinates acting in violation of international humanitarian law. A superior may have no other alternative but to use force to prevent or punish the commission of crimes by subordinates. This kind of use of force is legal under international humanitarian law insofar as it complies with the principles of proportionality and precaution and may even demonstrate that a superior has the material ability to prevent and punish the commission of crimes. The issue in the present case, however, is whether those modalities in which force should have been used, in the Trial Chamber’s view, to rescue the hostages, confirm the absence of Hadžihasanović’s effective control over the El Mujahedin detachment.

[1] Trial Judgement, para. 86.

[2] In the Appeals Chamber’s view, the fact that Vahid Karavelić, Commander of the 1st Corps from July 1993 to August 1995, had to attack some of his subordinates at the end of 1993 demonstrates that, in exceptional circumstances, a superior may have to use military assets against his subordinates. See Witness Karavelić, T. 17620-17621 and T. 17877-17885; Hadžihasanović Appeal Brief, para. 385; AT. 189 (“General Karavelić is the officer who defended Sarajevo against the worst possible blockage in years. […] [H]e had to attack […] subordinates who […] suddenly became out of control. […] He went to see the President of Bosnia and he said […] ‘I need to attack these people, but I’m not going to do it unless I get the proper authority’, and the President […] gave [him] the authority after doing the proper political analysis”). 

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51. The Appeals Chamber agrees that the legal sufficiency test in a decision pursuant to Rule 98bis of the Rules – that is, the question of whether a reasonable trier of fact could convict the accused on the Prosecution evidence – is not applicable in an appeal against judgement. Rather, in an appeal against judgement, the test to be applied in determining whether the evidence is factually sufficient to sustain a conviction is whether the conclusion of guilt beyond reasonable doubt is one which no reasonable trier of fact could have reached.[1] Here, however, the issue raised by Hadžihasanović regards the alleged violation of his right to a fair trial resulting from a wrong statement and the application of the legal sufficiency test by the Trial Chamber in its Rule 98bis Decision. Insofar as an infringement on his right to a fair trial is concerned, this issue is therefore not redundant on appeal.

52. Regarding Hadžihasanović’s second and third grounds of appeal concerning the Rule 98bis Decision, which the Prosecution also contends cannot be raised in an appeal against judgement, the Appeals Chamber notes that an appellant is not, as a matter of law, prevented from challenging a finding of the Trial Chamber in a decision pursuant to Rule 98bis of the Rules. The Prosecution’s reliance to the contrary on the Appeals Chamber’s finding in Čelebići is misplaced. In Čelebići, the Appeals Chamber clarified the applicable test on appeal for alleged errors of fact, for which the legal sufficiency test applied in the Rule 98bis Decision is indeed redundant in an appeal against judgement. The allegation at hand, however, is that the Trial Chamber committed an error in its Rule 98bis Decision, which as a consequence violated Hadžihasanović’s rights to a fair trial.

[1] Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 7. See also Stakić Appeal Judgement, para. 10; Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 18; Kordić and Čerkez Appeal Judgement, para. 18; Blaskić Appeal Judgement, para. 16; Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 435; Bagilishema Appeal Judgement, para. 13.

[2] Prosecution Response Brief, paras 94, 128.

[3] Prosecution Response Brief, para. 17.

[4] Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 435.

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55. The Appeals Chamber considers that the Trial Chamber’s finding that it “did not consider evidence which might be favourable to the Accused”,[1] if interpreted as implying that it completely ignored the evidence presented by the Defence in its favour during the Prosecution case, would amount to an error of law. For example, where the Defence has cross-examined a witness to good effect or has obtained evidence in an accused’s favour during cross-examination, this evidence must be used to assess whether the Prosecution evidence is incapable of belief. In the present case, the Trial Chamber not only recognised this principle,[2] but also referred in its Rule 98bis Decision to the entirety of the testimonies without excluding the cross-examination of the witnesses. Further, the Rule 98bis Decision is replete with references to Hadžihasanović’s Motion for Acquittal, which in turn is replete with references to evidence adduced by the Defence during the Prosecution case.[3]

[1] Rule 98bis Decision, para. 18.

[2] Rule 98bis Decision, paras 16-17.

[3] Motion for Acquittal of Enver Hadžihasanović (“Hadžihasanović’s Motion for Acquittal”), 11 August 2004.

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130. Further, the Appeals Chamber recalls that “[w]here a party alleges on appeal that the right to a fair trial has been infringed, it must prove that the violation caused such prejudice to it as to amount to an error of law invalidating the judgement”.[1] Thus, the element of prejudice forms an essential aspect of proof required of an appellant in relation to the appeal alleging a violation of his fair trial rights. […].

[1] Galić Appeal Judgement, para. 21; Kordić and Čerkez Appeal Judgement, para. 119.

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189. The ultimate question under this ground of appeal is whether Hadžihasanović exercised effective control over the El Mujahedin detachment. Since de jure authority is only one factor that helps to establish effective control, and because the present question is resolvable on the basis of effective control alone, the Appeals Chamber declines to address whether Hadžihasanović had de jure authority over the El Mujahedin detachment.

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199. The Appeals Chamber recognises that the power to give orders and have them executed can serve as an indicium of effective control.[1] […].

203. At the outset, the Appeals Chamber points out that, if taken literally, there is little basis in the jurisprudence of this International Tribunal for considering what the Trial Chamber termed as the “conduct of combat operations involving the forces in question”[2] as an indicium of effective control.[3] A reading of the relevant sections of the Trial Judgement suggests that what the Trial Chamber sought to demonstrate by defining this criterion was the degree of subordination of the El Mujahedin detachment to the OG Bosanska Krajina during combat operations.[4] Accordingly, the Appeals Chamber will discuss the Trial Chamber’s findings within this latter context.

209. These findings confirm that the El Mujahedin detachment took part in several combat operations in September and October 1993 and that this occurred within the framework established by the OG Bosanska Krajina and the 3rd Corps. This, however, does not in itself necessarily provide sufficient support for the conclusion that Hadžihasanović had effective control over the El Mujahedin detachment in the sense of having the material ability to prevent or punish its members should they commit crimes.[5] […].

210. The Appeals Chamber notes that the El Mujahedin detachment took part in combat operations alongside 3rd Corps formations, including the OG Bosanska Krajina, as of the second half of 1992.[6] The Appeals Chamber stresses that, with respect to the period before 13 August 1993, the Trial Chamber found that the relationship between the El Mujahedin detachment and the 3rd Corps was one of cooperation, not effective control. The Trial Chamber found that “frequent cooperation in itself [did] not allow the conclusion that the mujahedin were subordinated to the 3rd Corps […] and were under [its] effective control”.[7] Neither the 6 September Order nor the conduct of combat operations demonstrate that the relationship between the 3rd Corps and the mujahedin, later officially renamed the El Mujahedin detachment, evolved from cooperation to effective control.

213. In its concluding remarks on the issue of Hadžihasanović’s effective control, the Trial Chamber stated the following:

It must be noted, however, that this exceptional position was in fact accepted by the 3rd Corps, insofar as it did not in effect prevent the 3rd Corps and its units from using the detachment in combat and benefiting militarily from its existence. It should also be noted that nothing forced the 3rd Corps commanders to use the detachment in combat. In so doing, they accepted all the consequences of their decisions and inevitably assumed full responsibility for them.[8]

The Appeals Chamber does not dispute that the 3rd Corps may have benefited from the El Mujahedin detachment, and that a circumstance of this kind may entail some form of responsibility, if the particulars of such responsibility are adequately pleaded in an Indictment.[9] The Appeals Chamber nevertheless questions the relevance of that consideration for demonstrating the existence of Hadžihasanović’s effective control over the El Mujahedin detachment. The Appeals Chamber clarifies, however, given that the expression “full responsibility” adopted by the Trial Chamber may be somewhat misleading, that the responsibility of a superior under Article 7(3) of the Statute is only triggered by a superior’s failure to prevent and punish the crimes of his subordinates of which he has the requisite knowledge. Thus, even if Hadžihasanović benefited militarily from the El Mujahedin detachment, his responsibility as a superior under Article 7(3) of the Statute would be, eventually, triggered only upon a showing that the members of the El Mujahedin detachment were his subordinates. As the Trial Chamber made its remark in the context of its discussion on effective control, it presumably used the remark as an argument to justify attributing Hadžihasanović with effective control. This argument, however, does not provide support for the existence of effective control.

214.  Thus, while these Trial Chamber’s findings indicate that the 3rd Corps cooperated with the El Mujahedin detachment, they are insufficient to establish the existence of effective control. The Appeals Chamber will examine whether any of the Trial Chamber’s additional findings provide a proper basis for its conclusion that Hadžihasanović exercised effective control over the El Mujahedin detachment.

217. Assuming that the Trial Chamber’s conclusion that there was no other authority over the El Mujahedin detachment is correct, the Appeals Chamber disputes the relevance of the criterion identified by the Trial Chamber as an indicator of the existence of effective control. Hadžihasanović’s effective control cannot be established by process of elimination. The absence of any other authority over the El Mujahedin detachment in no way implies that Hadžihasanović exercised effective control in this case.

[1] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 69.

[2] Trial Judgement, paras 83, 851.

[3] See Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 69 (“[the indicators of effective control] are limited to showing that the accused had the power to prevent, punish, or initiate measures leading to proceedings against the alleged perpetrators where appropriate”). In a footnote appended to justify this criterion, the Trial Chamber referred to paragraph 398 of the Strugar Trial Judgement. Upon review of that judgement, the Appeals Chamber considers that the Trial Chamber in the Strugar case did not devise a new indicator of effective control, but simply analysed the effect of certain orders in the context of combat operations.

[4] See Trial Judgement, paras 825-827, 848, 851-852.

[5] See Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 256.

[6] See Trial Judgement, para. 537 (the El Mujahedin detachment expressed their readiness to conduct combat operations in the zone of responsibility of the 333rd Brigade). See also Trial Judgement, para. 530 (T. 17233, Closed Session). The El Mujahedin detachment took part in combat operations alongside the 7th and the 17th units during the combat operations in April 1993 on Mt Zmajevac, south of Zenica (Trial Judgement, para. 532); in the Bijelo Bučje and Mravinjac sectors in June 1993 (Trial Judgement, paras 534-535); and at Kaćuni south-east of Busovača in July 1993 (Trial Judgement, para. 537).

[7] Trial Judgement, para. 795.

[8] Trial Judgement, para. 850.

[9] Trial Judgement, para. 1483.

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260. The failure to prevent and the failure to punish are not only legally distinct, but are factually distinct in terms of the type of knowledge that is involved for each basis of superior responsibility.[1] The duty to prevent arises for a superior from the moment he knows or has reason to know that a crime is about to be committed, while the duty to punish only arises after the commission of the crime. Thus, knowledge which is relevant to a superior’s duty to punish may or may not be relevant to his duty to prevent depending on when the superior acquired actual knowledge or had reason to know about it. […].

[1] See Prosecutor v. Sefer Halilović, Case No. IT 01-48-PT, Trial Chamber Decision on Prosecutor’s Motion Seeking Leave to Amend the Indictment, 17 December 2004, para. 32.

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