Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A War Criminal’s Remorse: the Case of Landžo and Plavšić

  • Published:
Human Rights Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper analyses the role of remorse and apology in international criminal trials by juxtaposing two prominent cases of convicted war criminals Biljana Plavšić and Esad Landžo. Plavšić was the first and only Bosnian Serb political leader to plead guilty before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Her acknowledgement of guilt and purported remorse expressed during her ICTY proceedings was celebrated as a milestone for both the ICTY and the Balkans. However, she later retracted her remorse while serving her prison sentence. Landžo was a guard at the notorious Čelebići detention camp and did not acknowledge his guilt publicly during his ICTY trial. Seven years after his release from prison, Landžo personally confronted survivors and apologised to them. Through comparison of these two widely different cases, we illustrate varying roles criminal trials can play in offender’s reflection on his/her crimes (instrumental remorse versus catalytic role) and how relevance and resonance of war criminal’s remorse in and outside of the courtroom depend on how remorse is expressed and to whom (in abstracto during criminal proceedings versus personally face to face).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. In addition, the case of Ratko Mladić, convicted in 2017, is now pending on appeal before the MICT, as is retrial of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović.

  2. For notable exceptions see, Clark 2009a; Clark 2009b; Clark 2009c; Clark 2009e; Hodžić 2010; King et al. 2016; Stover 2011; Valiñas et al. 2009.

  3. Analysis of expressions of remorse and apology has received only minor attention in the (international) criminal legal scholarship. Transitional justice scholars so far have largely discussed relevance of public, official apology usually from the government to particular ethnic/racial group of people rather than remorse by individual perpetrator to individual victim. This kind of apology has been only analysed in the context of truth and reconciliation commissions not international criminal trials (see, for example, Gobodo-Madikizela 2002; Carranza et al., 2015).

  4. For victim needs surveys see, Jones et al., 2012; Parmentier et al., 2014; Valiñas et al., 2009.

  5. See, for example, Celermajer 2009; Barkan 2001; Carranza et al., 2015; Miller 2017, Balint et al., 2014; Lind 2008.

  6. This kind of apology has been only analysed in the context of truth and reconciliation commissions, not international criminal trials. See, for example, Barkan, 2001; Carranza et al., 2015.

  7. However, it should also be noted that the concept of remorse is still being discussed and different definitions and conceptualisations appear in the literature. For discussion, see, Proeve et al., 1999, p. 17.

  8. Lee Taft (2000, p. 1140) explains how an apologetic offender, while accepting responsibility for his actions, also commits himself to repent for his wrongful ways.

  9. Duff (1991) explains that the punisher tries to induce contrition and repentance so that the offender will repudiate his past wrongful act and avoid committing it again; also see Hampton 1984.

  10. See for example (Prosecutor v Todorović (Sentencing Judgement)2001, para. 92; Prosecutor v Banović (Sentencing Judgement)2003, para. 61; Prosecutor v Češić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 66).

  11. See for example (Prosecutor v Češić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 66; Prosecutor v Deronjić (Sentencing Judgement) 2004, para. 264).

  12. See for example (Prosecutor v Sikirica (Sentencing Judgement)2001, para. 230; Prosecutor v Mrdja (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 87; Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement) 2003a, para. 241; Prosecutor v Deronjić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 263; Prosecutor v Rajić (Sentencing Judgement)2006, para. 151).

  13. See for example (Prosecutor v Obrenović (Sentencing Judgement) 2003, para. 121; Prosecutor v Mrdja (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 87; Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement)2003b, para. 159; Prosecutor v Rajić (Sentencing Judgement)2006, para. 151).

  14. See for example (Prosecutor v Bralo (Sentencing Judgement)2005, para. 70; Prosecutor v Sikirica (Sentencing Judgement)2001, para. 195; Prosecutor v Simić (Sentencing Judgement)2002, para. 94; Prosecutor v Jokić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 92).

  15. 19 out of 20 defendants who pleaded guilty had their remorse accepted as mitigating factor. The only defendant who pleaded guilty and for whom judges denied and considered the remorse insincere was Goran Jelisić (Prosecutor v Jelisić (Judgement)1999, para.127).

  16. See, for example, (Prosecutor v Blaškić (Judgement)2004, para. 705, 728; Prosecutor v Strugar (Judgement)2008, para. 365–367; Prosecutor v Brdjanin (Judgement)2004, para. 1139; Prosecutor v Karadžić (Judgement)2016, para. 1060).

  17. See, for example, (Prosecutor v Češić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 63; Prosecutor v Babić (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 85; Prosecutor v Mrdja (Sentencing Judgement)2004, para. 82).

  18. See, for example, (Prosecutor v Todorović (Sentencing Judgement)2001, para. 90; Prosecutor v Sikirica (Sentencing Judgement)2001, para. 152 & para. 194; Prosecutor v Banović (Sentencing Judgement)2003, para. 70; Prosecutor v Rajić (Sentencing Judgement)2006, para. 151).

  19. See, for example, (Prosecutor v Simić (Sentencing Judgement)2002, para. 94; Prosecutor v Obrenović (Sentencing Judgement)2003, para. 120; Prosecutor v Jokić (Sentencing Judgement),2004, para. 92; Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement)2003b, para. 158).

  20. See, for example, Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement)2003b, para. 158.

  21. See, for example, Prosecutor v Todorović (Sentencing Judgement)2001; Prosecutor v Sikirica (Sentencing Judgement)2001; Prosecutor v Češić (Sentencing Judgement)2004.

  22. See for similar considerations discussed by the ICTY judges when it comes to guilty plea: (Prosecutor v Nikolić (Judgement on Sentencing Appeal)2006, paras. 119–122).

  23. Milan Babić (Prosecutor v Babić (Transcript from Trial)2004, p. 58) during his Sentencing Hearing stated the following plea of guilt: “I ask from my brothers, Croats, to forgive us, their brother Serbs, and I pray for the Serb people to turn to the future and to achieve the kind of compassion that will make it possible to forgive the crimes. And lastly, I place myself at the full disposal of this Tribunal and international justice”.

  24. For one of the many examples of this, see Trial transcript from July 29, 1998: (Prosecutor v Delalić (Transcript from Trial)1998, p. 15253, lines 21–25).

  25. Sulejman Tihić, a Bosniak member of the Bosnian presidency and a detainee in Serb detention centres, described Plavšić’s plea as “a highly moral act which helps establish the truth about the kind of war that took place” (quoted in Kebo 2005).

  26. (B. Plavšić, personal communication, 17 October 2017).

  27. Tavuchis (1991) calls this apology one which significance lies in its ability to perform and to transcend the apologetic words.

References

  • Agić J (2018, September 21) Matikainen: ‘Unforgiven’ na jedinstven način govori o problemu oprosta [Matikanen: ‘Unforgiven’ speaks in a unique way about the problem of forgiveness]. Al Jazeera Balkans. http://balkans.aljazeera.net/vijesti/matikainen-unforgiven-na-jedinstven-nacin-govori-o-problemu-oprosta. Accessed 15 December 2019

  • Baig L (2016) Sentencing for sexual violence crimes. In: S. Brammertz & M. J. Jarvis (eds) Prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence at the ICTY. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Balint J, Evans J, McMillan N (2014) Rethinking transitional justice, redressing indigenous harm: A new conceptual approach. Int J Transit Justice, 8(2): 194-216

    Google Scholar 

  • Balkan Investigate Reporting Network (2019a, March 20) Radovan Karadžić: The final verdict – live blog. Balkan Transitional Justice. https://balkaninsight.com/2019/03/20/radovan-karadzic-final-verdict-live-blog/. Accessed 5 January 2019

  • Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (2019b, March 20) Bosnians ethnically divided over Karadžić life sentence. Balkan Transitional Justice.https://balkaninsight.com/2019/03/20/bosnians-ethnically-divided-over-karadzic-life-sentence/. Accessed 17 December 2019

  • Barkan E (2001) The guilt of nations: Restitution and negotiating historical injustices. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Bibas S, Bierschbach RA (2004) Integrating remorse and apology into criminal procedure. Yale Law J 114(1): 85-148

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlander M (2003) Last exit Bosnia - Transferring war crimes prosecution from the International Tribunal to domestic courts. Crim Law Forum 14(1): 59-99

    Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite J (2002) Restorative justice and responsive regulation. Oxford University Press, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlston K (2013) Model(ing) law: The ICTY, the International Criminal Justice Template, and reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California

  • Carranza R, Correa, C, Naughton, E (2015) More than words: Apologies as a form of reparation. International Center for Transitional Justice. https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ-Report-Apologies-2015.pdf. Accessed 7 December 2019

  • Celermajer D (2009) The sins of the nation and the ritual of apologies. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark J N (2009a) From negative to positive peace: The case of Bosnia and Hercegovina. J of Hum Rights 8(4): 360-384

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, J N (2009b) International war crimes tribunals and the challenge of outreach. Int Crim Law Rev, 9(1): 99-116

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark J N (2009c) Judging the ICTY: Has it achieved its objectives? J Southeast Eur Black Sea Stud, 9(1): 123-142

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark J N (2009d) Plea bargaining at the ICTY: Guilty pleas and reconciliation. Eur J of Int Law, 20(2): 415-436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark J N (2009e) The limits of retributive justice: Findings of an empirical study in Bosnia and Hercegovina. J Int Crim Justice: 7(3), 463-487

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark J N (2011) Transitional justice, truth and reconciliation: An under-explored relationship. Int Crim Law Rev: 11(2), 241-261

    Google Scholar 

  • Combs N A (2007) Guilty pleas in international criminal law: Constructing a restorative justice approach. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ascoli S (2011) Sentencing in international criminal law: the UN ad hoc tribunals and future perspectives for the ICC. Hart Publishing Ltd, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Dana S (2014) The limits of judicial idealism: Should the International Criminal Court engage with consequentialist aspirations?. Penn State J Law & Int Aff, 3(1): 30-112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Del Ponte C (2007) Address by tribunal prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Belgrade: The ICTY and the legacy of the past [Press release]. http://www.icty.org/en/press/address-tribunal-prosecutor-carla-del-ponte-nato-parliamentary-assembly-belgrade-icty-and. Accessed 15 December 2019

  • Diggelmann O (2016) International criminal tribunals and reconciliation: Reflections on the role of remorse and apology. J of Int Crim Justice, 14(5): 1073-1097.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drakulić S (2009, March) The false repentance of Biljana Plavšić. Eurozine. https://www.eurozine.com/the-false-repentance-of-biljana-plavsic/. Accessed 14 December 2019

  • Duff R A (1991) Trials and punishments. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Dzidic D (2019, March) Radovan Karadžić sentenced to life in prison. Balkan Transitional Justice. https://balkaninsight.com/2019/03/20/radovan-karadzic-sentenced-to-life-in-prison/. Accessed 6 January 2019

  • Efter Nio (Producer) (2017, October 16) Efter Nio: Esad Landžo [Video file]. https://arenan.yle.fi/1-4257394. Accessed 17 December 2019

  • Garvey S P (2003) Restorative justice, punishment, and atonement. Utah Law Rev, 2003(1): 303-318

    Google Scholar 

  • Gobodo-Madikizela P (2002) Remorse, forgiveness, and rehumanization: Stories from South Africa. J of Humanis Psychcol, 42(1): 7-32

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg D U (2009, January) Bosnian war criminal: ‘I did nothing wrong’. The Local. https://www.thelocal.se/20090126/17162. Accessed

  • Graef R (2000) Why restorative justice? Repairing the harm caused by harm. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. https://content.gulbenkian.pt/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2001/01/01175419/Why-restorative.pdf. Accessed 2 December 2019

  • Hakkarainen J (Producer) (2017, October 19) Esad Landžo interview (The Unforgiven/Anteeksiantamaton 13th October 2017) [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBJYDRzgOmA. Accessed 29 November 2019

  • Hampton J (1984) The moral education theory of punishment. Philos & Public Aff, 13(3): 208-238

    Google Scholar 

  • Harmon M, Gaynor F (2007) Ordinary Sentences for Extraordinary Crimes. J of Int Crim Justice, 5(3): 683-712

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodžić R (2010) Living the legacy of mass atrocities: Victims’ perspectives on war crimes trials. J of Int Crim Justice, 8(1): 113-136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hola B, Buljubasic M (2017) Alternative legacies? ‘Images and imageries’ of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Criminol and Int Crimes e-newsletter, 12(1): 2-6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hola B, Simic O (2018) The ICTY celebrities: War criminals coming home. Int Crim Justice Rev, 28(4): 285-290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hola B, van Wijk J (2016) Rehabilitating of international prisoners. In R. Mulgrew & D. Abels (eds) Research handbook on international penal system. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, Cheltenham

    Google Scholar 

  • Hola B, Smeulers A, Bijleveld C (2011) International sentencing facts and figures: Sentencing practice at the ICTY and ICTR. J of Int Crim Justice, 9(2): 411-439

    Google Scholar 

  • Hola B, van Wijk J, Constantini F, Korhonnen A (2018) Does remorse count? ICTY convicts’ reflections on their crimes in early release decisions. Int CrimJustice Rev, 28(4): 349-371

    Google Scholar 

  • Humanitarian Law Center (2002, October 3) Priznanje, preuzimanje odgovornosti i žaljenje – put izmirenja [Taking of responsibility, remorse – The way to reconciliation]. http://www.hlc-rdc.org/?p=12838. Accessed 28 November 2019

  • INS Bosnian News Service (n.d.) Esad Landžo trazio oprost od srpskih zrtava: Odlezao sam kaznu, ali nije bilo dovoljno [Esad Lanzo asks for forgiveness from the Serb victims: I served a sentence, but it wasn’t enough]. https://www.ins.ba/bs/article/943/esad-Landžo-trazio-oprost-od-srpskih-zrtava-odlezao-sam-kaznu-ali-nije-bilo-dovoljno. Accessed 10 December 2019

  • International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1998) Outreach symposium marks the first successful step in camp aign for better understanding of the ICTY in the Former Yugoslavia [Press release]. http://www.icty.org/en/press/outreach-symposium-marks-first-successful-step-campaign-better-understanding-icty-former. Accessed

  • International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (2009) Updated statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. http://www.icty.org/x/file/Legal%20Library/Statute/statute_sept09_en.pdf. Accessed 14 December 2019

  • International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) (n.d.) About the ICTY. http://www.icty.org/en/about. Accessed 14 December 2019

  • Jones N, Parmentier S, Weitekamp E G (2012) Dealing with international crimes in post-war Bosnia: A look through the lens of the affected population. Eur J of Criminol, 9(5): 553-564

    Google Scholar 

  • Kebo A (2005) Izvestaj iz regiona: Bosanske reakcije na izjavu Biljane Plavsic [Report from the region: Bosnian reactions to Biljana Plavsic’s statement]. IWPR. https://iwpr.net/sr/global-voices/izvestaj-iz-regiona-bosanske-reakcije-na-izjavu-biljane-Plavsic. Accessed 6 January 2019

  • King K, Meernik J, Rubert S, de Smit T, Schoorl H V (2016) Echoes of testimonies: A pilot study into the long term impact of bearing witness before the ICTY. http://www.icty.org/x/file/About/Registry/Witnesses/Echoes-Full-Report_EN.pdf. Accessed 5 January 2019

  • Kurir (2017, December 9) Haško prokletstvo Šešelj: Dvojica su se ubila zbog mene [The Hague curse Seselj: two of them killed themselves because of me]. https://www.kurir.rs/vesti/politika/2954883/hasko-prokletstvo-seselj-dvojica-su-se-ubila-zbog-mene. Accessed 16 December 2019

  • Lind J (2008) Sorry states: Apologies in international politics. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Luna E (2003) Punishment theory, holism, and the procedural conception of restorative justice. Utah Law Rev, 2003(1): 205-302

    Google Scholar 

  • Matikainen A (Producer), Feldballe-Peterson L (Director) (2017) The Unforgiven [Motion Picture]. Kinocompany, Finland

  • Miller J R (2017) Residential schools and reconciliation: Canada confronts its history. University of Toronto Press, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore T (1989) Re-morse: An initiatory disturbance of the soul. The Psychotherapy Patient, 5(1-2): 83-94

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy J, Hampton J (1990) Forgiveness and mercy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuffer E (2015) The key to my neighbor’s house: Seeking justice in Bosnia and Rwanda. Picador, London

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Hara E A, Yarn D (2002) On apology and consilience. Washington Law Rev, 77(4): 1121-1192

    Google Scholar 

  • Orentlicher D (2018) Some kind of justice: The ICTY’s impact in Bosnia and Serbia. Oxford University Press, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.) (2009) Oxford University Press, Oxford

  • Parmentier S, Rauschenbach M, Weitekamp E (2014) Repairing the harm of victims after violent conflict: Empirical findings from Serbia. Int Rev of Vict, 20(1): 85-99

    Google Scholar 

  • Pavlick D L (2002) Apology and mediation: The horse and carriage of the twenty-first century. Ohio State J on Disput Resolut, 18(3): 829-866

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrin K (2016) Transcripts from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia: A linguistic interpretation of sociological patterns found in court data. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University College London

  • Proeve M, Tudor S (2010) Remorse: Psychological and jurisprudential perspectives. Ashgate, Burlington

    Google Scholar 

  • Proeve D I, Smith D I, Niblo D M (1999) Mitigation without definition: Remorse in the criminal justice system. Aust N Z J of Criminol, 32(1): 16-26

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosecutor v Delalić (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Appeals Chamber, Case No IT-96-21-A, 20 February 2001)

  • Prosecutor v Babić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Case No IT-03-72-S, 29 June 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Babić (Transcript from Trial) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Case No IT-03-72-T, 27 January 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Banović (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-02-61/1-S, 28 October 2003)

  • Prosecutor v Mucić (Judgement on Sentence Appeal) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Appeals Chamber, Case No IT-96-21-Abis, 8 April 2003)

  • Prosecutor v Blaškić (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Appeals Chamber, Case No IT-95-14-A, 29 July 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Bralo (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-95-17-S, 7 December 2005)

  • Prosecutor v Brdjanin (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber II, Case No IT-99-36-T, 1 September 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Češić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Case No IT-95-10/1-S, 11 March 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Delalić (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-96-21-T, 16 November 1998)

  • Prosecutor v Delalić (Transcript from Trial) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-96-21-T, 29 July 1998)

  • Prosecutor v Deronjić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber II, Case No IT-02-61-S, 30 March 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Erdemović (Sentencing Judgment) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-96-22-T, 29 November 1996)

  • Prosecutor v Jelisić  (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-95-10-T, 14 December 1999)

  • Prosecutor v Jokić  (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Case No IT-01-42/1-S, 18 March 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Karadžić (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No. IT-95-5/18/T, 24 March 2016)

  • Prosecutor v Krajišnik (Amended Consolidated Indictment) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Case No IT-00-39 & 40-PT, 7 March 2002)

  • Prosecutor v Landžo (Order issuing a public redacted version of order of the President on commutation of sentence) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Case No IT-96-21-ES, 15 July 2008)

  • Prosecutor v Mrdja (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-02-59-S, 31 March 2004)

  • Prosecutor v Mucić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-96-21-Tbis-R117, 9 October 2001)

  • Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber II, Case No IT-94-2-S, 18 December 2003a)

  • Prosecutor v Nikolić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Section A, Case No IT-02-60/1-S, 2 December 2003b)

  • Prosecutor v Nikolić (Judgement on Sentencing Appeal) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Appeals Chamber, Case No. IT-02-60/I-A, 8 March 2006)

  • Prosecutor v Obrenović (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, Section A, Case No IT-02-60/2-S, 10 December 2003)

  • Prosecutor v Plavšić (Transcript from Trial) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-00-39&40/1-S, 17 December 2002)

  • Prosecutor v Plavšić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-00-39&40/1-S, 27 February 2003)

  • Prosecutor v Plavšić (Decision of the President on the Application for Pardon or Commutation of Sentence of Biljana Plavšić) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Case No. IT-00-39&40/1-ES, 14 September 2009)

  • Prosecutor v Rajić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber I, IT-95-12-S, 8 May 2006)

  • Prosecutor v Sikirica (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-95-8-S, 13 November 2001)

  • Prosecutor v Simić (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber II, Case No IT-95-9/2-S, 17 October 2002)

  • Prosecutor v Strugar (Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Appeals Chamber, Case No IT-01-42-A, 17 July 2008)

  • Prosecutor v Todorović (Sentencing Judgement) (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, Case No IT-95-91-S, 31 July 2001)

  • Prosecutor v Karadžić (Appeals Judgement) (International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Appeals Chamber, Case No. MICT-13-55-A, 20 March 2019)

  • Radio Sarajevo (2017) The Unforgiven/Ispovijest ratnog zločinca: Esad Landžo, čuvar, mučitelj, pokajnik [The Unforgiven/Confession of a war criminal: Esad Landžo, guardian, torturer, repentant]. https://www.radiosarajevo.ba/vijesti/svijet/film/255884. Accessed 9 January 2020

  • Shapland J (2016) Forgiveness and restorative justice: is it necessary? Is it helpful?. Oxford J Law and Religon, 5(1): 94-112

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw J (1989) The usefulness of remorse. Psychother Patient, 5(1-2): 77-82

    Google Scholar 

  • Simić O (2018) “I would do the same again” In conversation with Biljana Plavšić. Int Crim Justice Rev, 28(4): 317-332

    Google Scholar 

  • Simons M (2002a, December 18) Crossing paths: Albright testifies in war crimes case. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/18/world/crossing-paths-albright-testifies-in-war-crimes-case.html. Accessed 12 December 2019

  • Simons M (2002b, October 3) Ex-Bosnia leader enters guilty plea to The Hague. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/03/world/ex-bosnia-serb-leader-enters-guilty-plea-to-the-hague.html. Accessed 1 December 2019

  • Smith N (2014) Justice through Apologies: Remorse, Reform and Punishment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon R C (1993) The passions: Emotions and the meaning of life. Hackett Publishing, Indianapolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Stover E (2011) The witnesses: War crimes and the promise of justice in the Hague. University of Pensylvania Press, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Subotić J (2012) The cruelty of false remorse: Biljana Plavšić at The Hague. Southeastern Eur, 36(1): 39-59

    Google Scholar 

  • Taft L (2000) Apology subverted: The commodification of apology. Yale Law J, 109(5): 1135-1160

    Google Scholar 

  • Tavuchis N (1991) Mea culpa: A sociology of apology and reconciliation. Stanford University Press, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Thalberg I (1963) Remorse. Mind, 72(288): 545-555

    Google Scholar 

  • Tieger A (2003) Remorse and mitigation in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Leiden J Int Law, 16(4): 777-786

    Google Scholar 

  • Tudor S K (2008) Why should remorse be a mitigating factor in sentencing?. Crim Law Philos 2(3): 241-257

    Google Scholar 

  • Valiñas M, Parmentier S, Weitekamp E (2009) ‘Restoring Justice’ in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Report of a population-based survey (Working Paper No. 31) Leuven Institute of Criminology. https://ghum.kuleuven.be/ggs/publications/working_papers/2009/31ValinasParmentierWeitekamp. Accessed 2 January 2020

  • Visegradlive.com (2017, March 9) Ispovijest ratnog zločinca: Esad Landžo, čuvar, mučitelj ….[Confession of a war criminal: Esad Landžo, guardian, torturer….]. https://www.visegradlive.com/ispovijest-ratnog-zlocinca-esad-Landžo-cuvar-mucitelj/. Accessed 7 December 2019

  • Wald P (2002) Dealing with witnesses in war crime trials: Lessons from the Yugoslav Tribunal. Yale Hum Rights Dev Law J, 5(6): 217-239

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker M U (2006) Moral repair: Reconstructing moral relations after wrongdoing. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward B H (2006) Sentencing without remorse. Loyola Uni Chicago Law J, 38(1): 131-168

    Google Scholar 

  • Wuthnow R (2004) Repentance in criminal procedure: The ritual affirmation of community. In A. Etzioni & D. E. Carney (eds) Repentance: a comparative perspective. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, Lanham

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhong R, Baranoski M, Feigenson N, Davidson L, Buchanan A, Zonana H (2014) So you’re sorry? The role of remorse in criminal law. J American Acad Psychiatry Law, 42: 39-48

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Olivera Simić.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Simić, O., Holá, B. A War Criminal’s Remorse: the Case of Landžo and Plavšić. Hum Rights Rev 21, 267–291 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-020-00593-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-020-00593-y

Navigation