While broadly successful, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has had an uneven record, with some cases and verdicts causing great surprise and making many observers question its value. Its last case is the trial of Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic, which will define its reputation and long-term legacy, and offers the chance both to remedy its failings and suggest how to proceed in similar situations.
ICTY has helped develop international criminal law and institutions, which would not have come into being without its precedent or momentum.
The Mladic verdict is a significant opportunity to restore the reputation of international justice.
The Syrian war highlights international criminal justice’s failures and weaknesses, and the continuing need for war crimes prosecutions.
