Finland Ready To Enforce ICTY Sentences
Tribunal Update 27: Last Week in The Hague (May 5-10, 1997)
Finland Ready To Enforce ICTY Sentences
Tribunal Update 27: Last Week in The Hague (May 5-10, 1997)
The agreement was signed on behalf of the government of Finland by Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen, during her official visit to the Tribunal on May 7. The agreement comes into force on June 7, 1997.
This means that Finland will be the first country ready to receive convicted war criminals in its jails. But, according to reports Finland does not intend to accept “leading war criminals” requiring exceptionally high-security prisons. For the moment, the problem is purely theoretical, given that “leading war criminals” such as Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic, or others still more eminent but not yet indicted, at large.
In addition to Italy and Finland, nine more states have formally expressed readiness to put their prison facilities at the Tribunal's disposal. These are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, The Netherlands, Croatia, Iran, Germany, Norway, Pakistan and Sweden.
Tribunal officials expect to conclude agreements with these countries within the foreseeable future.
