Transfer of all closed cases’ records from the ICTY to the MICT is finalised

Today marks the completion of a comprehensive transfer of physical judicial records in all closed cases of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) into the custody of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT). The materials transferred include exhibits, filings, transcripts and audio-visual tapes of judicial proceedings.

The total quantity of the judicial case records transferred today to the custodianship of the Mechanism Archives and Records Section (MARS) is approximately 425 linear metres.  Linear metres describe the amount of shelf space required to store physical records, and are a standard unit used to measure the quantity of records managed by an archival institution.

The transfer is part of the progressive assumption of a number of core ICTY functions by the MICT, and it marks the successful and timely completion of the handover of all completed cases of the ICTY’s physical judicial records to the Mechanism, while the digital records will follow at a later date. The ongoing ICTY cases will remain in the custody of the ICTY until their completion, when they too will be transferred to the MICT.  The Mechanism will continue to preserve the records in accordance with the highest international standards, whilst safeguarding their confidentiality.