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During the Rwandan genocide, François Karera was prefect of Kigali-Rural and member of the MRND.

On 7 December 2007, Trial Chamber I of the Tribunal found Karera guilty of genocide and extermination and murder as crimes against humanity, for his participation in the killing of Tutsis in Nyamirambo sector, at Ntarama Church, and in Rushashi commune. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. 

Karera appealed his convictions and the sentence imposed on him. On 2 February 2009, the Appeals Chamber granted Karera’s appeal in part. It reversed his conviction for aiding and abetting genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity, based on the killing of Murekezi, and for instigating murder as a crime against humanity, based on the murder of Gakuru. The Chamber dismissed all the other grounds of appeal and affirmed the sentence of life imprisonment.

Ildephonse Hategekimana was a lieutenant in the Rwandan Armed Forces and also the commander of the Ngoma military camp during the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. 

The Prosecutor of the ICTR charged Hategekimana with genocide, or, alternatively, complicity to commit genocide, murder and rape as crimes against humanity. The charges related to his role in the massacre of Tutsi refugees at Ngoma church and at Maison Généralice, as well as for his participation in the killings of several other Tutsis and the rape of Nura Sezirahiga. On 6 December 2010, he was convicted for genocide, murder and rape as crimes against humanity and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia convicted a former Serb soldier, Nikola Vuckovic, to pay compensatory damage for crimes committed during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Four former victims of Vuckovic filed the case before the US District Court. The alleged acts took place in Bosanski Samac. The victims had known the defendant for years, since they were all from Bosanski Samac. After the war broke out, the victims were requested to come to the Police Station that had just been taken over by the Serbs. There they were tortured, beaten and assaulted for months. Other detainees died during this detention period. After some time, the detainees were transferred to a warehouse where the torture continued. After the war, all victims fled abroad. They still suffer physical and mental pain due to the abuses.

The US District Court holds Nikola Vuckovic responsible for the acts, by arguing that he was ‘a substantial and proximate cause and contributing factor in the injuries. The Court judges in favour of the victims and condemns Nikola Vuckovic to a 140 million dollar damage claim for the victims.

On 6 July 1995, the Srebrenica enclave (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was attacked by the Bosnian Serb Army. Bosnian Muslim men were separated from the women and children and, subsequently, taken to various sites where they were executed. Erdemović was a member of a unit of the Bosnian Serb Army, and participated in the killing of Bosnian Muslim men who were taken to the Pilica farm, situated near Zvornik (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Erdemović pleaded guilty to murder, as a crime against humanity. 

In order to determine the appropriate sentence for Erdemović, Trial Chamber I balanced the relevant sentencing factors.

With respect to duress, Trial Chamber I found that duress may serve as a complete defence under strict conditions, including whether the accused did not have the duty to disobey and whether he had the moral choice to do so or to try to do so. In the present case, these conditions were not met.

Trial Chamber I considered that the crimes committed by Erdemović were of intrinsic gravity. However, it took into consideration a large number of mitigating circumstances, including Erdemović’s age, expression of remorse, guilty plea, co-operation with the Prosecution and the fact that he no longer constitutes a danger.

Trial Chamber I sentenced Erdemović to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The Ad Hoc Tribunal acquitted the Accused of both charges, as it found none of his subordinates to have committed serious human rights abuses. In addition, the Tribunal found that the Accused has not disregarded important information and has acted in the best of his power to stop the human rights violations.

East Timor’s foreign minister described the judgment as ‘scandalous’, whereas activists in Indonesia considered the judgments of the Ad Hoc Tribunal to be “mock trials...[as] a result of pressure from the military.” Florendo de Jesus, one of the witnesses, testified that he had recognized several people among the attackers as TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) members, one of them being his own uncle. The public outrage, mostly taking place in East Timor, came as a consequence of a belief that the Ad Hoc Tribunal is failing to try the Indonesian commanders involved in the violence, as well as from the previous acquittals, specifically those of army Lieutenant Colonel Asep Kuswani, police Lieutenant Colonel Adios Salova and mayor Leonita Martins.