Social pressure for release?

The number of accused still at large, however, is cause for concern.

Outstanding Republika Srpska indictees now number five.

Six indicted persons, all of them at large, are still to be tried before the court closes.

Another motion involving nine accused, including Tolimir, who is at large in Serbia, was also approved by the Chambers.

Nevertheless, among them there are still high profile officials such as Radovan Karadzić and Ratko Mladić, at large for nearly 10 years.

One motion involving seven accused, including Djordjevic, who is, unfortunately, still at large in Russia, was approved by the Chambers.

In 2004 the Court of Appeal upheld the Public Prosecutor's appeal against the following releases

It is a forceful reminder that other indictees remain at large, including some whose apprehension and prosecution is of vital importance to our pursuit of justice.

Among those indicted by the Prosecutor, 19 remain at large and are being provided with a haven from international justice by Member States of the United Nations.

Another crucial issue at this stage in the life of the Court concerns the transfer to the Court of those indictees who are still at large.

In particular, States must meet their obligations in arresting indictees at large, including Félicien Kabuga, and transferring them to the court's jurisdiction.

The Prosecutor should, for example, consider providing the Security Council with a list of indictees still at large, along with the countries in which they currently reside.

At present, 45 accused, or 18 cases, await trial, and I am pleased to report that only six of a total of 161 indictees remain at large.

This is a decrease of 808 prisoners since 2000, owing to the new law which granted criminal competence to the Tribunaux de grande instance, along with provisional release measures.

Some of those to benefit from these early releases and pardons had committed the most serious sexual offences, only to re offend soon after their release.

As members of the Council are undoubtedly aware, Ante Gotovina, one of the Tribunal's highest level accused and who has long been at large, was recently arrested in Spain and was transferred to the Tribunal on 10 December.

The independent expert met with their representatives, who raised several concerns including lack of fair trial, lack of transparency and fair treatment with regard to provisional release of detainees, and lack of political will among the politicians to agree on a definition of who should be considered a political prisoner.

The United States would not support another bail out like the exceptional one time debt cancellation referred to in paragraph 9 of the draft resolution just adopted nor would it support funding for UNITAR from the regular budget.

It is also apparent from the seizure report that other persons connected with smuggling remain fugitives from justice. The security authorities are continuing their efforts to capture them. They include Abdullah Yusuf Farih, a Somali national who receives weapons in Somalia, and Ali Al Dharafi, who supplies and sells weapons to the band.