Security Council Issues Presidential Statement Asking International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals to Submit Progress Report

The Security Council requested today that the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals present by 15 April the report on the progress of its work — including progress towards the completion of its functions — since its last review of the Mechanism in June 2018.

In statement (document S/PRST/2020/4) issued by Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve (Belgium), Council President for February, the 15-member organ also requested that the Mechanism present detailed schedules for proceedings currently under consideration, and factors relevant to the projected completion dates for cases and other matters over which the Mechanism has jurisdiction.

The Council requested that the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals carry out a thorough examination of the Mechanism’s report, as well as the report on the evaluation of its work methods by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), due for submission by 31 March.

Emphasizing the importance of successfully relocating acquitted persons and convicts who have completed their sentences, the Council noted with concern the Mechanism’s problems in that regard.

Created in 2010, the Mechanism was tasked with carrying out the remaining functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which closed on 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2017, respectively.

The meeting began at 10:13 a.m. and ended at 10:15 a.m.