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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1055.  […] Further, a trial chamber’s conclusion on the individual criminal responsibility of an accused is the result of a complex evaluation of all the evidence presented in relation to that accused.[1] Thus, while the assessment of the conduct of co-accused in general, and of alleged members of a JCE in particular, will often depend on evidence of their involvement in the same events, they will not necessarily be considered alike. Any given case contains a multitude of variables and “[t]o focus on one or two variables that are similar to the exclusion of numerous others that differ will not suffice to make the cases […] analogous”.[2] The appellant bears the burden of showing that the Trial Chamber’s findings in relation to his own participation in the commission of the crime were unreasonable.

[1] See Halilović Appeal Judgement, para. 125, quoting Ntagerura et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 174, where the Appeals Chamber held: “Only after the analysis of all the relevant evidence, can the Trial Chamber determine whether the evidence upon which the Prosecution relies should be accepted as establishing the existence of the facts alleged, notwithstanding the evidence upon which the Defence relies.” See also Halilović Appeal Judgement, para. 128.

[2] Cf. Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 696, where the Appeals Chamber made this observation particularly in relation to the sentences imposed in that case.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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250.   Recalling that waiver “should not entirely foreclose” indictment defects from being raised for the first time on appeal by the defence,[1] the Appeals Chamber notes that it has not previously considered whether waiver should preclude the Prosecution from arguing for the first time on appeal that its Indictment should have been interpreted differently, when it had been put on notice at trial that the Trial Chamber considered the Indictment to be defective. The Appeals Chamber observes that the rationale for allowing the Defence to raise such objections for the first time on appeal does not apply to the Prosecution who bears the obligation of ensuring that the indictment adequately pleads its case against the accused.

[1] See supra, para. 224.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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609. […] The Appeals Chamber recalls that JCE liability requires “the existence of a common purpose which amounts to, or involves, the commission of a crime” and that the common purpose need not be previously arranged or formulated; it may materialise extemporaneously.[1] Thus, while the existence of a common purpose at the time of the crimes is one of the elements of JCE liability, the date of its formation is not.[2] […]

[1] Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 418. See also Stakić Appeal Judgement, para. 64; Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 227(ii). See also Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, paras 100, 109.

[2] See Brðanin Appeal Judgement, paras 364, 418; Stakić Appeal Judgement, para. 64; Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 81; Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 100; Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 227. 

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

611. […] the Appeal Chamber recalls that JCE liability requires the existence of “a common plan, design or purpose” amounting to, or involving the commission of a crime.[1] Such a common plan, design, or purpose may “be inferred from the facts”,[2] including events on the ground.[3] […]

[…]

654. […] [I]n view of the magnitude of forcible displacement committed in an orchestrated manner and showing a discernible pattern as well as the extensive seizure and destruction of IDs during the forcible displacement, the Appeals Chamber is satisfied that the evidence regarding these two factors is sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that the only reasonable inference is that a common purpose to forcibly displace a number of Kosovo Albanians existed.[4]

[1] Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 227(ii) (emphasis omitted). See also Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 184-185; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, paras 364, 418; Stakić Appeal Judgement, para. 64; Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, paras 81, 96, 117; Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 100.

[2] Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 100; Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 227(ii).

[3] See, e.g., Martić Trial Judgement, paras 442-445 (affirmed by Martić Appeal Judgement, paras 92-116); Krajišnik Trial Judgement, para. 1097 (affirmed by Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 192, 605-647). See also Trial Judgement [Prosecutor v. Milan Milutinović et al., Case No. IT-05-87-T, Judgement, 26 February 2009], vol. 1, para. 102.

[4] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 95-96.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1177. The jurisprudence of the Tribunal has held that, in order for an accused to be held responsible for a crime committed pursuant to JCE liability, it must be established that he or she performed “acts that in some way [were] directed to the furthering of the common plan or purpose” of the JCE.[1] In this regard, the Appeals Chamber recalls its conclusion that the Trial Chamber’s finding that a common purpose existed beyond reasonable doubt “during the time of the crimes alleged in the Indictment”[2] concerned the period starting from 24 March 1999.[3] The Appeals Chamber further notes that, based on the Trial Chamber’s findings, both the arming of the non-Albanian population and the disarming of the Kosovo Albanian population were carried out earlier than 24 March 1999.[4] Moreover, the Trial Chamber’s finding on Pavković’s involvement in the process of arming and disarming was based on evidence concerning his conduct in 1998.[5] In these circumstances, it was unreasonable for the Trial Chamber to find that Pavković “acted […] to further the common purpose” through his enthusiastic involvement in, and support for, the process of arming and disarming and thereby finding that he contributed to the common purpose of the JCE prior to its existence.[6]

See also paras 1178, 1445.

[1] Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 229(iii). See also Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 695; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 427.

[2] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, para. 96.

[3] See supra, para. 610.

[4] Trial Judgement, vol. 1, paras 764-766, 775, 787; ibid., vol. 3, paras 57-58, 68-72.

[5] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 667-668. It follows that, contrary to the Prosecution’s contention (Appeal Hearing, 11 Mar 2013, AT. 247), Pavković’s engagement in the process of arming and disarming, as such, cannot be considered as “bringing in” or “making use of” the results of the arming and disarming during the time when the common purpose was in existence.

[6] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 779, 782. In this regard, the jurisprudence of the Tribunal, referred to by the Prosecution, indicates that certain conduct of a JCE member which started prior to, and continued during, the period when a common purpose of a JCE was found to have existed could constitute an act in furtherance of the common purpose by virtue of the continuation of this conduct while the common purpose was in existence (see Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 162, 209-218; Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 117; Martić Trial Judgement, paras 445, 448). This was not the case with respect to Pavković’s engagement in the process of arming and disarming. 

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1557. The Appeals Chamber finds that the Trial Chamber erred in law in concluding that for JCE III liability to arise, it must be foreseeable to the accused that the crime “would be committed”.[1] The Appeals Chamber recalls that the jurisprudence subsequent to the Brđanin Decision[2] confirmed that JCE III liability arises even if the JCE member knows that the commission of the crime is only a “possible consequence” of the execution of the common purpose.[3] It is necessary “that the possibility a crime could be committed is sufficiently substantial as to be foreseeable to the accused.”[4] The correct legal standard for the JCE III mens rea requires that it was foreseeable to the accused that such a crime might be committed by a member of the JCE or one or more of the persons used by the accused (or by any other member of the JCE) in order to carry out the actus reus of the crimes forming part of the common purpose[5] and the accused willingly took the risk that such a crime might occur by joining or continuing to participate in the enterprise.[6] The Appeals Chamber discerns no cogent reason to depart from its jurisprudence on this matter.

1558. Furthermore, the Appeals Chamber finds no merit in Šainović’s assertion that the Trial Chamber’s approach is “deeply compatible and consistent”[7] with the Appeals Chamber’s affirmation of the “possibility” standard. While it is necessary that the crime be foreseeable based on the “information available to the accused”,[8] this does not reflect the degree of foreseeability required. It is the degree of foreseeability that marks the difference between the “possibility” and “probability” standards. Šainović’s argument is therefore dismissed. The Appeals Chamber further considers that awareness of a higher likelihood of risk and a volitional element are reflected in the mens rea for JCE III. The Appeals Chamber recalls in this respect that “criminal responsibility may be imposed upon an actor for a crime falling outside [the common purpose], even where he only knew that the perpetration of such a crime was merely a possible consequence, rather than substantially likely to occur, and nevertheless participated in the [JCE]” because the accused already possesses the intent to participate and further the common criminal purpose of a group.[9] Lukić’s argument is accordingly dismissed.

[…]

1575. The question of whether persecution, through sexual assaults, committed in Beleg, Ćirez/Qirez, and Priština/Prishtina were foreseeable to Šainović and Lukić must be assessed in relation to their individual knowledge. Depending on the information available, what may be foreseeable to one member of a JCE, might not be foreseeable to another.[10] Consequently, the Appeals Chamber will consider whether it was foreseeable to them, individually, that sexual assaults could be committed and that they willingly took that risk. While the Appeals Chamber is cognisant that situations of widespread violence against the civilian population are conducive to the commission of a wide range of criminal acts, for JCE III liability to arise it must be established that the possibility of sexual violence being committed was sufficiently substantial as to be foreseeable to each accused.[11]

[1] Trial Judgement, vol. 1, para. 111, referring to Brđanin Decision [Prosecutor v. Brđanin, Case No. IT-99-36-AR73.10, Decision on Interlocutory Appeal, 19 March 2004], para. 5, Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 83.

[2] The Appeals Chamber notes that paragraph 5 of the Brđanin Decision reads: for an accused to be convicted of a crime under the third category of JCE, it is required to be “reasonably foreseeable to him” that the crime “would be committed” (emphasis added).

[3] Karadžić JCE III Decision [Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadžić, Case No. IT-95-5/18-AR72.4, Decision on Prosecution’s Motion Appealing Trial Chamber’s Decision on JCE III Foreseeability, 25 June 2009], paras 15, 17-18, referring to Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 101, Brđanin Appeal Judgement, paras 365, 411, Stakić Appeal Judgement, paras 65, 87, Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 33, Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 168, Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, para. 32, Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 83, Deronjić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 44. The Appeals Chamber further notes that insofar as the Trial Chamber suggested that paragraph 83 of the Martić Appeal Judgement also supports its definition, it was mistaken as the formulation adopted in the Martić Appeal Judgement reflects the “possibility” standard: “it is actually necessary that the occurrence of such crime was foreseeable to the accused and that he willingly took the risk that this crime might be committed” (see Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 83, emphasis added).

[4] Karadžić JCE III Decision, para. 18.

[5] Brđanin Appeal Judgement, paras 365, 411.

[6] Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 83, referring to Tadić Appeal Judgement, paras 204, 220, 228; Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 99.

[7] Šainović’s Response Brief [Prosecutor v. Nikola Šainović et al., Case No. IT-05-87-A, Defence Respondent’s Brief, 2 November 2009], para. 56.

[8] Trial Judgement, vol. 1, para. 111. See also Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 365, referring to Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 220, Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 86, Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 33, Stakić Appeal Judgement, paras 65, 99-103.

[9] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 33.

[10] Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 365, referring to Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 220, Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 86, Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 33, Stakić Appeal Judgement, paras 65, 99-103.

[11] See Karadžić JCE III Decision, para. 18.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1014. The Appeals Chamber is concerned that, in relying on Šainović’s knowledge of events which occurred in 1998 [to find that Šainović shared the intent to forcibly displace the Kosovo Albanian population in 1999], the Trial Chamber used language suggesting that it might have erred in law in relation to the mens rea standard for JCE I. In particular, the Trial Chamber’s reference to Šainović’s ability “to predict” the situation in 1999[1] resembles the foreseeability standard embedded in the mens rea for JCE III.[2] Pursuant to JCE I, the accused must share the intent for the commission of the crimes alleged in the Indictment and not merely foresee their occurrence.[3] In assessing whether the Trial Chamber indeed applied an erroneous mens rea standard, the Appeals Chamber will consider the broader context of the Trial Chamber’s findings.

[…]

1016. Further, to what extent in relation to the mens rea for JCE I a trial chamber may rely on the accused’s knowledge of the commission of past crimes, as circumstantial evidence among others, will necessarily depend on the circumstances of the particular case. The Appeals Chamber considers that relevant evidence may include the type of crimes that were committed, the circumstances of their commission, the identity of the perpetrators, and the geographical and temporal scope. […].

See also paras 1019, 1199, 1470.

[1] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, para. 456.

[2] Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 83, referring to Tadić Appeal Judgement, paras 204, 220, 228; Vasiljević Appeal Judgement, para. 99. See also Brđanin Appeal Judgement, paras 365, 411.

[3] See Tadić Appeal Judgement, para. 228.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1256. The Appeals Chamber recalls that the essential requirement for holding a JCE member responsible for a crime under the first category of JCE is that the crime formed part of the common purpose of the JCE. In this respect, the Appeals Chamber recalls that JCE members may be held responsible for crimes carried out by principal perpetrators who were non-JCE members, provided that it has been shown that the crimes can be imputed to at least one JCE member and that the latter – when using the principal perpetrators – acted in accordance with the common objective.[2] The existence of this link between the crimes in question and a JCE member is to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.[3]

1257. Pavković’s argument that the Trial Chamber failed to examine whether he closely cooperated with the principal perpetrators for each crime charged is without merit. Close cooperation between a principal perpetrator and a JCE member, including the accused, is but one of various factors from which a chamber may infer that a crime formed part of the common purpose and is thus imputable to JCE members. It is not a prerequisite for imputing the crime to JCE members. Pavković’s argument in this regard is based on a misunderstanding of the law and is therefore dismissed.

1258. […] The Trial Chamber only imputed crimes to the JCE members at various sites, once it was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to identify principal perpetrators as members of the VJ and/or the MUP.[6] Given the prominent positions of JCE members such as Milošević, Šainović, Pavković, and Lukić and their significant power over the VJ and/or the MUP in Kosovo,[7] the Trial Chamber’s findings regarding the principal perpetrators at each crime site was sufficiently specific to identify them as persons used by one of the JCE members.[8] […]

1259. The Appeals Chamber is not persuaded by Pavković’s assertions that in order to incur liability for using a principal perpetrator as a tool, a JCE member must have ordered or instructed the principal perpetrator to commit the crime and that there was no evidence of any such orders.[9] A JCE member’s order or instruction to non-JCE members to commit a crime is not a sine qua non prerequisite but one of several factors which may be taken into account by a chamber when determining whether to impute the crime to that JCE member.[10]

1260. There is no merit in Pavković’s arguments that it was inappropriate to charge him with “committing” crimes as those who carried out the actus reus of the crimes were not members of the JCE[11] and that, if it were proven that he or other JCE members ordered non-JCE members to commit crimes, “ordering” would have been the appropriate mode of liability.[12] The Appeals Chamber recalls that it has “consistently held that participation in a JCE is a form of ‘commission’ under Article 7(1) of the Statute.” […]

[1] Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 168; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, paras 410, 418.

[2] Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 225; Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 168; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 413.

[3] Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 226; Martić Appeal Judgement, para. 169; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 413. See also Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 410; Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 226, 237-282; Martić Appeal Judgement, paras 174-181, 187-189, 205-206, regarding factors indicative of such a link.

[4] Pavković’s Appeal Brief [Prosecutor v. Nikola Šainović et al., Case No. IT-05-87-A, General Pavković’s Amended Appeal Brief, 30 September 2009, annexed to General Pavković’s Submission of his Amended Appeal Brief, 30 September 2009], paras 20, 23.

[5] Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 410.

[6] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 468, 475, 783, 788, 1132, 1138. When the evidence was insufficient for such identification of principal perpetrators, the Trial Chamber found that their identity was not established and did not link their crimes with any JCE member for the purpose of determining the criminal responsibility of Sainović, Pavković, and Lukić (see e.g., Trial Judgement, vol. 2, paras 121-122, 144, 161, 164, 396, 440-460, 667-668, 692, 710, 730, 798, 943, 945, 1077, 1110-1111, 1117, 1129, 1137, 1140, 1143, 1149 (compare with ibid., vol. 3, paras 475, 788, 1138)).

[7] See Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 468, 783, 1132.

[8] See Martić Appeal Judgement, paras 188, 192, 195, 198, 200, 205; Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 239-247, 250-282.

[9] Pavković’s Appeal Brief, paras 37-38, 40.

[10] See Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 226, holding that factors indicative of a link between crimes committed by non-JCE members and members of the JCE include “evidence that the JCE member explicitly or implicitly requested the non-JCE member to commit such a crime or instigated, ordered, encouraged, or otherwise availed himself of the non-JCE member to commit the crime.”

[11] Pavković’s Appeal Brief, paras 30-31, 34.

[12] Pavković’s Appeal Brief, paras 37-38.

[13] Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 662; Kvočka et al. Appeal Judgement, paras 79-80; Tadić Appeal Judgement, paras 188, 190-191, 226-228. Cf. Brđanin Appeal Judgement, fn. 891; Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 664.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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579. The Appeals Chamber recalls that persecution as a crime against humanity requires evidence that the principal perpetrator had the specific intent to discriminate on political, racial, or religious grounds.[1] While the requisite discriminatory intent may not be inferred directly from the general discriminatory nature of an attack characterised as a crime against humanity, the “discriminatory intent may be inferred from such a context as long as, in view of the facts of the case, circumstances surrounding the commission of the alleged acts substantiate the existence of such intent.”[2]

580. Although the Trial Chamber correctly articulated the applicable law in this respect,[3] it failed to apply this standard in determining whether the rapes of K31, K14, and K62 constituted persecution. Notably, the Trial Chamber found that, in April and May 1999, Kosovo Albanians were targeted across Priština/Prishtina town by VJ and MUP forces: parts of the town were shelled by the VJ, buildings were set on fire, houses were looted, and large numbers of Kosovo Albanians were directly expelled from their homes, or fled due to the prevailing atmosphere of fear created by this campaign of violence.[4] Significantly, the Trial Chamber found that the Prosecution had failed to present “any evidence” from which the discriminatory intent of the perpetrators of the rapes could be inferred,[5] notwithstanding its finding that K31, K14, and K62 – all Kosovo Albanian women – were raped by VJ and MUP forces “in the course of the operation to remove large numbers of Kosovo Albanians from Priština/Prishtina town”.[6] In these circumstances, the Appeals Chamber considers that the Trial Chamber failed to properly consider the context in which the rapes occurred and erred in finding that there was no evidence from which the discriminatory intent of the perpetrators could be inferred. In light of this error, the Appeals Chamber will consider whether the only reasonable inference to be drawn from the evidence presented at trial was that K31, K14, and K62 were raped because they were Kosovo Albanian.

[1] Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, para. 184. See also Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 164.

[2] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 164, referring to Krnojelac Appeal Judgement, para. 184.

[3] Trial Judgement, vol. 1, para. 180, referring to Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 164.

[4] See Trial Judgement, vol. 2, paras 885-888, 1240-1242.

[5] Trial Judgement, vol. 2, para. 1245 (emphasis added).

[6] Trial Judgement, vol. 2, para. 889 (emphasis added).

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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1838. The Appeals Chamber notes that, in determining the term of imprisonment, the Trial Chamber did not consider it appropriate to distinguish between Ojdanić and Lazarević, who were sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment for aiding and abetting crimes, or to discriminate among Šainović, Pavković, and Lukić, who were each sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment for their participation in the JCE.[1] However, although the Trial Chamber acknowledged that the crimes attributed to each individual were not entirely identical,[2] it failed to indicate whether it considered these differences in sentencing. […]

1839. Moreover, it is not apparent whether the Trial Chamber individually evaluated the mitigating and aggravating factors as well as the different role and participation of each of the Appellants in determining their respective sentences. For example, the Trial Chamber assessed the mitigating and aggravating factors in relation to each[3] and identified differences in the conduct and roles of Šainović, Pavković, and Lukić in executing the common purpose of the JCE.[4] Nonetheless, it imposed identical sentences on the three, simply because they were convicted on the basis of the same mode of liability.[5] The Appeals Chamber considers that, in light of the Trial Chamber’s obligation to individualise penalties in accordance with the circumstances of the accused and the gravity of the crime,[6] the Trial Chamber erred in declining to individualise the sentences it imposed.

[1] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, para. 1205.

[2] See Trial Judgement, vol. 3, para. 1173 (“The Trial Chamber has determined, regarding some of the crimes in the Indictment, that they were committed, but that they were not attributable to some or all of the Accused”).

[3] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 1180-1204.

[4] See Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 285-477 (Šainović), 636-790 (Pavković), 936-1140 (Lukić).

[5] Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 1205, 1208, 1210, 1212.

[6] Bralo Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 9, referring to Galić Appeal Judgement, para. 393; M. Nikolić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 8; Jokić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 8; Deronjić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 8; Babić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 7; D. Nikolić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 9; Čelebići Appeal Judgement, para. 717.

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1837.  At the outset, the Appeals Chamber notes that the Prosecution’s appeal focuses on the failure to individualise sentences based on the gravity component.[1] The Appeals Chamber recalls that trial chambers have an “overriding obligation to tailor a penalty to fit the individual circumstances of the accused and the gravity of the crime, with due regard to the entirety of the case”.[2] Thus, gravity is not considered in isolation, but in conjunction with aggravating, mitigating, and other factors in determining the sentence.

[1] See supra, fn. 5965.

[2] D. Nikolić Judgement on Sentencing Appeal, para. 19 (emphasis added) (internal references omitted). 

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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1834. The Appeals Chamber recalls that trial chambers are vested with broad discretion in determining an appropriate sentence[1] and that it is incumbent on parties to present all information relevant to sentencing at trial.[2] The Appeals Chamber will only intervene where a trial chamber has abused its discretion.[3] The Appeals Chamber notes that in its Closing Brief and closing arguments, the Prosecution requested “sentences raging from 20 years to life imprisonment” with regard to all the Appellants, irrespective of the modes of liability charged.[4] The Prosecution cannot seek to have a more severe sentence imposed on appeal where, as here, the Trial Chamber, by exercising its discretion, imposed a sentence within the Prosecution’s requested range. Thus, the Appeals Chamber dismisses the Prosecution’s arguments concerning Šainović, Pavković, and Lukić who were sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment.[5] However, as Lazarević was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment, below the 20-year minimum sought by the Prosecution, the Appeals Chamber will examine whether the Trial Chamber erred in its assessment of the gravity of his crimes.[6]

[1] Boškoski and Tarčulovski Appeal Judgement, para. 204; D. Milošević Appeal Judgement, para. 297.

[2] See Rules 86(C) and 101 (B) of the Rules [ICTY Rules of Procedure and Evidence]. See also Ntabakuze Appeal Judgement, para. 289.

[3] See supra, para. 1798.

[4] Prosecution’s Closing Brief [Prosecutor v. Milan Milutinović et al., Case No. IT-05-87-T, Final Trial Brief, 15 July 2008 (confidential); public redacted version filed on 29 July 2008], para. 1100. See also Prosecution’s Closing Argument, 20 Aug 2008, T. 26947.

[5] See Trial Judgement, vol. 3, paras 1208, 1210, 1212.

[6] See Trial Judgement, vol. 3, para. 1211; Prosecution’s Closing Brief, para. 1100.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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142. Regarding the questioning of Mijatović, the Appeals Chamber recalls that under Rules 85(B) and 90(F) of the Rules, it is within a trial chamber’s discretion to intervene where an issue requires clarification. A trial chamber may do so either by communicating with counsel or by directly clarifying the issue with the witness. As the Trial Chamber correctly observed, as long as its questions did not pursue an independent enquiry into the evidence of the witness, they were properly apportioned to the time of the examining party.[1]

[1] Decision of 16 April 2008 [Prosecutor v. Milan Milutinović et al., Case No. IT-05-87-T, Decision on Lukić Defence Objection to February 2008 Report on Use of Time, 16 April 2008], para. 13.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
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114.   The Appeals Chamber notes that the Trial Chamber’s decisions setting time limits within which Lukić was required to file the translations of the exhibits on his Rule 65 ter list are discretionary decisions to which the Appeals Chamber must accord deference.[1] It further recalls that, pursuant to Rule 3(E) of the Rules, “[t]he Registrar shall make any necessary arrangements for interpretation and translation into and from the working languages” of the Tribunal. This obligation does not imply, however, that the parties have unlimited access to the translation resources of the Tribunal. Rather, a trial chamber may impose certain limitations provided that they are consistent with the right of the accused to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence.[2] Any such limitations must be based on a reasonable assessment of the Defence needs of each particular accused in a multi-accused trial, taking into account the legal and factual complexity of the case.[3] Accordingly, it is not appropriate to limit a party’s access to translation resources solely because of CLSS capacity restraints.[4]

[1] Cf. Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, para. 81, and references therein.

[2] See Article 21(4)(b) of the Statute. See also Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR73.9, Decision on Slobodan Praljak’s Appeal Against the Trial Chamber’s Decision of 16 May 2008 on Translation of Documents, 4 September 2008 (“Prlić Decision of 4 September 2008”), para. 25.

[3] See Prlić Decision of 5 December 2008 [Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR73.12, Decision on Slobodan Praljak’s Appeal of the Trial Chamber’s 13 October 2008 Order Limiting the Translation of Defence Evidence, 5 December 2008], para. 28, referring to Prlić Decision of 6 February 2007 [Prosecutor v. Jadranko Prlić et al., Case No. IT-04-74-AR73.4, Decision on Prosecution Appeal Concerning the Trial Chamber’s Ruling Reducing Time for the Prosecution Case, 6 February 2007], para. 16.

[4] Prlić Decision of 5 December 2008, para. 24.

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Appeal Judgement - 23.01.2014 ŠAINOVIĆ et al.
(IT-05-87-A)

1100.  […] the jurisprudence of the Tribunal which draws no distinction, for the purposes of evaluation of evidence, between witnesses called by the parties and witnesses called by a chamber.[1]

[1] See, e.g. Krajišnik Appeal Judgement, paras 37, 401, Annex A: para. 64, read together with Prosecutor v. Momčilo Krajišnik, Case No. IT-00-39-A, Scheduling Order for Evidentiary Hearing, 21 October 2008, p. 2; Hadžihasanović and Kubura Trial Judgement, paras 270, 284-285.

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Decision on Review - 17.12.2013 DELIĆ Rasim
(IT-04-83-R.1)

CONSIDERING further that Counsel have no standing in their own right in circumstances where the appellant has died and the appellate proceedings before the Tribunal have been terminated;

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Appeal Judgement - 16.12.2013 NDAHIMANA Grégoire
(ICTR-01-68-A)

231. It is well-established that a large number of victims is not an element of the crime of genocide. The Appeals Chamber also recalls that, with respect to extermination as a crime against humanity, “a particularly large number of victims can be an aggravating circumstance in relation to the sentence for this crime if the extent of the killings exceeds that required for extermination.” The Appeals Chamber further recalls that extermination is the act of killing on a “large scale”, and that “large scale” does not suggest a strict numerical approach with a minimum number of victims. While extermination as a crime against humanity has been found in relation to the killing of thousands of persons, it has also been found in relation to fewer killings, such as the killings of approximately 60 individuals and less. In the present case, the Trial Chamber found that the attacks on Nyange Church resulted “in the death of approximately 2,000 Tutsi men, women and children.” The Appeals Chamber considers that the extent of the killings at Nyange Church on 15 and 16 April 1994 exceeded that required for extermination, and that the number of victims could therefore be taken into consideration as an aggravating circumstance in the determination of the sentence. The Appeals Chamber accordingly rejects Ndahimana’s contention that the Trial Chamber engaged in impermissible double-counting in considering the number of victims of the attacks on NyangeChurch as an aggravating factor.

[1] See, e.g., Ndindabahizi Appeal Judgement, para. 135.

[2] Ndindabahizi Appeal Judgement, para. 135.

[3] See, e.g., Lukić and Lukić Appeal Judgement, para. 536; Bagosora and Nsengiyumva Appeal Judgement, para. 394; Rukundo Appeal Judgement, para. 185.

[4] Lukić and Lukić Appeal Judgement, para. 537, referring to Stakić Appeal Judgement, para. 260 and Ntakirutimana Appeal Judgement, para. 516.

[5] See Lukić and Lukić Appeal Judgement, paras. 537, 544, fns. 1564-1567, and references contained therein. See also Bagosora and Nsengiyumva Appeal Judgement, para. 398.

[6] Trial Judgement, para. 854. 

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Appeal Judgement - 16.12.2013 NDAHIMANA Grégoire
(ICTR-01-68-A)

147. The Appeals Chamber recalls that the actus reus of aiding and abetting is constituted by acts or omissions specifically directed to assist, encourage, or lend moral support to the perpetration of a specific crime, and which have a substantial effect upon the perpetration of the crime.[1] The Appeals Chamber has explained that an individual can be found liable for aiding and abetting a crime when it is established that his conduct amounted to tacit approval and encouragement of the crime and that such conduct substantially contributed to the crime.[2] When this form of aiding and abetting has been a basis for a conviction, “it has been the authority of the accused combined with his presence on (or very near to) the crime scene, especially if considered with his prior conduct, which all together allow the conclusion that the accused’s conduct amounts to official sanction of the crime and thus substantially contributes to it.” [3]

149. With respect to Ndahimana’s arguments regarding the number of perpetrators involved, the Appeals Chamber notes that the Trial Chamber made no specific finding on the number of assailants on 16 April 1994, only concluding that “thousands of persons (assailants and refugees alike) were present” at Nyange Parish. Regardless of the number of assailants, the Appeals Chamber considers that the Trial Chamber was not required to establish that Ndahimana’s presence was noticed by or provided moral support to all perpetrators to find that he substantially contributed to the killings. As for Ndahimana’s argument that his assistance was not necessary as the assailants were already fully determined to commit the crimes at Nyange Church, the Appeals Chamber recalls that proof of a cause-effect relationship between the conduct of the aider and abettor and the commission of the crime, or proof that such conduct served as a condition precedent to the commission of the crime, is not required by law.

In footnote 526, the Appeals Chamber noted that:

[…] The Appeals Chamber also emphasises that, contrary to the Trial Chamber’s suggestion, Ndahimana’s contribution to the 16 April killings in the form of providing moral support by tacit approval is not to be characterised as an omission. See Trial Judgement, heading Section 4.3.2 and paras. 810, 811. See also Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 273; Ntagerura et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 338.

[1] See, e.g., Kalimanzira Appeal Judgement, para. 74; Seromba Appeal Judgement, para. 139; Muhimana Appeal Judgement, para. 189. See also Ntawukulilyayo Appeal Judgement, para. 214; Karera Appeal Judgement, para. 321; Nahimana et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 482. See also Perišić Appeal Judgement, paras. 25-36, 38, 73.

[2] Kalimanzira Appeal Judgement, para. 74; Muvunyi Appeal Judgement of 29 August 2008, para. 80; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 273.

[3] Kalimanzira Appeal Judgement, para. 74, citing Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 277. See also Muvunyi Appeal Judgement of 29 August 2008, para. 80; Orić Appeal Judgement, para. 42; Brđanin Appeal Judgement, para. 273 (“the combination of a position of authority and physical presence at the crime scene allowed the inference that non-interference by the accused actually amounted to tacit approval and encouragement.”); Kayishema and Ruzindana Appeal Judgement, paras. 201, 202.

[4] Ndahimana Appeal Brief, para. 254. See also ibid., para. 255.

[5] Trial Judgement, para. 698. The Trial Chamber evaluated the number of victims to “hundreds and possibly thousands”. See ibid., paras. 837, 842. Only Witness CNJ estimated the number of perpetrators to be 10,000. See Witness CNJ, T. 5 November 2010 pp. 36, 37. However, the Appeals Chamber observes that the Trial Chamber found that it would only rely on Witness CNJ’s evidence on the 16 April events where corroborated. See Trial Judgement, para. 641.

[6] Blaškić Appeal Judgement, para. 48.

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Appeal Judgement - 16.12.2013 NDAHIMANA Grégoire
(ICTR-01-68-A)

In footnote 526, the Appeals Chamber noted that:

The Appeals Chamber recalls that “the threshold for finding a “significant contribution” to a [joint criminal enterprise] is lower than the “substantial contribution” required to enter a conviction for aiding and abetting.” See Gotovina and Markač Appeal Judgement, para. 149. […]

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Appeal Judgement - 16.12.2013 NDAHIMANA Grégoire
(ICTR-01-68-A)

91. The Appeals Chamber recalls that an accused does not bear the burden of proving his alibi beyond reasonable doubt.[1] Rather, he must simply produce evidence tending to show that he was not present at the time of the alleged crime.[2] If the alibi is reasonably possibly true, it must be accepted.[3] Where an alibi is properly raised, the Prosecution must establish beyond reasonable doubt that, despite the alibi, the facts alleged are nevertheless true.[4]

[1] See, e.g., Nchamihigo Appeal Judgement, para. 92; Zigiranyirazo Appeal Judgement, para. 17; Nahimana et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 414.

[2] See, e.g., Nchamihigo Appeal Judgement, para. 92; Zigiranyirazo Appeal Judgement, para. 17; Musema Appeal Judgement, para. 202.

[3] See, e.g., Nchamihigo Appeal Judgement, para. 92; Zigiranyirazo Appeal Judgement, para. 17; Nahimana et al. Appeal Judgement, para. 414.

[4] See, e.g., Nchamihigo Appeal Judgement, para. 93; Zigiranyirazo Appeal Judgement, para. 18; Karera Appeal Judgement, para. 330.

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