Phil interviews Chris Black, international lawyer who defended clients at the ICTY and ICTR.
Chris explains what happens at an organization called “The Mechanism.”
The previous international ad-hoc tribunals were created on paper by the UN, but outside of the powers of the UN Charter. The trials were effectively run by the NATO powers in order to scapegoat the losers in the wars in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and to absolve the crimes of NATO, the countries which started the wars. In short, it was victors’ justice.
“The Mechanism” was a caretaker operation left over from the ICTY and ICTR to deal with prisoner issues, and to try any fugitive defendants who might be apprehended, such as Felician Kabuga.