HL Deb 20 November 1997 vol 583 cc88-9WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of the call by the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on national courts and judges to assist in the struggle against impunity by initiating their own prosecutions of persons on their territory who may have committed atrocities in the former Yugoslavia, whether they are satisfied that the United Kingdom's existing criminal law, which only allows the courts to deal with breaches of the Geneva Conventions committed in the course of international armed conflict, would enable British courts to prosecute any of those indicated who might enter British jurisdiction.

Lord Williams of Mostyn:

On 4 November, the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia called on national courts and judges to prosecute offences of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1957, or to extradite alleged offenders to the tribunal. The United Kingdom has the necessary legislation (The Geneva Conventions Act 1957) in place to prosecute such breaches and to surrender persons indicted for such breaches to the tribunal.