The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) in July took over some of the residual duties of the ICTR, including management of the archives. This is in accordance with UN Resolution 1966 of December 2010. Rwanda also says it has a natural right to host the ICTR archives after the Tribunal closes.
"The Security Council Resolution 1966 will be reviewed after four years and I do not know what can happen in four years," Hocking told Hirondelle News Agency. "Currently what I have to work on is the Security Council Resolution and it provides that the archives be co-located with the two branches of the Mechanism at least for the next four years.”
The Resolution provides for two branches of the Mechanism, one in Arusha for the ICTR and one in The Hague for the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugolsavia (to start working in July next year).
Other functions handed over to the Arusha branch of the Mechanism include witness protection, cooperation with national jurisdictions, tracking fugitives and overseeing enforcement of sentences.
Asked about the safety of the 19 ICTR convicts in Mali, Hocking said the UN Department of Safety and Security and the UN Resident Coordinator in Mali had assured him that “given the location of the prison, the convicts are perfectly secured and they are far removed from where the problems are in Mali.”
Nineteen convicts are serving their sentences in Mali, while 14 are serving theirs in Benin.
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