Successful operation against sexual exploitation of women The Hague, 15 December 2017 Eurojust and Europol have supported coordinated judicial investigations in Spain (Investigative Court no 34 and Prosecution Office in Madrid) and Romania (DIICOT Prosecution Office) to dismantle an organised criminal group (OCG) involved in trafficking women for sexual exploitation in Madrid. On the law enforcement side, the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Romanian Police have joined forces, supported by Europol. The investigation began in 2016, when the Spanish Guardia Civil received a report from a Romanian woman. She had been recruited months ago in her country of origin by the Loverboy method; a man who made her fall in love with him under false promises of a better life in Spain. Once in Madrid, she was forced into prostitution. Investigations revealed the existence of an OCG, and identified other victims. Police officers carried out five house searches in Madrid and eight in Romania. As a result, a large amount of documents, cash, guns and mobile telephones and twelve high-value vehicles were seized. In total, nine Romanian women were safeguarded. Proceedings were initiated against eleven suspects in both Member States, and, among those, nine were arrested, including the OCG leader. Europol supported the investigation by facilitating information exchange and providing analytical support. On the action day, two Europol analysts were deployed to Spain for on-the-spot support including real-time data exchange and cross checks against Europol databases. Eurojust organised two coordination meetings, with the participation of judicial and police authorities and Europol. To further facilitate coordination, a joint investigation team, which brought together the competent authorities from Spain and Romania, was established in February of this year, with funding from Eurojust, and with the participation of Eurojust and Europol. To help determine the best-placed jurisdiction and to avoid the risk of a conflict of jurisdiction, a Joint Recommendation was issued on 13 November by the National Members of Romania and Spain and sent to the respective national competent authorities.

Twenty-three people arrested and tons of drugs seized in action against international criminal organisation The Hague, 15 December 2017 Judicial and law enforcement authorities from Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Austria combined forces to dismantle an organised criminal group involved in the smuggling of huge quantities of hashish and marijuana  from a base of operations in the Province of Cadiz, Spain, to other Member States, in an operation called ‘Maestro’, ‘Turbofan’ and ‘Undertaker’. These latest actions resulted in the arrest of twenty-three people: eight in Italy, thirteen in Spain (comprising nine Spanish and three German citizens and one Russian national) and two in Germany. In addition to five tons of hashish and marijuana, more than EUR 500 000 in cash, firearms, precious metals, real estate, boats, vehicles and drug processing equipment were seized. Authorities involved in the actions included the Bayerisches LKA (Germany), the Unidad Orgánica de Policía Judicial de Cádiz de la Guardia Civil (Spain), the section of research of the Gendarmerie de Reims (France) and the Guardia di Finanza di Bologna (Italy). A joint investigation team (JIT)* was formed in November 2016 with Germany, Spain and France. JITs allow team members to quickly and easily share information and discuss investigations and common actions. The JIT received funding from Eurojust for transportation, interpretation, translation, accommodation and equipment used in the investigations. The JIT was signed on the French side by the Interregional Specialised Jurisdiction of Nancy. The Spanish authority was Investigative Judge #2 in Chiclana (Cadiz) and the Public Prosecution Office of Cádiz. The German authority was the Public Prosecution Office Kempten. Eurojust’s support and advice in avoiding a conflict of jurisdiction was essential. In fact, one of the coordination meetings held at Eurojust in this case was dedicated to discuss and agreed upon which jurisdiction should prosecute each suspect. Although Italy and Austria were not parties to the JIT, the level of cooperation both within and outside the JIT was excellent. All involved authorities showed great dedication in carrying out arrests and confiscations since November 2016. The drugs were sometimes concealed in boats with double hulls in Spain, for distribution in Germany and Austria. Postal packages containing drugs and addressed to Germany were intercepted as a result of the joint operations. ————–  Photography by Europol.  

Judge Theodor-Meron. The Appeals Chamber of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals hears oral arguments in the Šešelj case The Hague, 13 December 2017- The Appeals Chamber of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, composed of Judge Theodor Meron, presiding, Judge Lee G. Muthoga, Judge Florence Rita Arrey, Judge Ben Emmerson, and Judge Ivo Nelson de Caires Batista Rosa heard today oral arguments in the appeal filed by the Prosecution against the judgement of acquittal in the case of Mr. Vojislav Šešelj, rendered on 31 March 2016 by Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). In February 1991, Mr. Šešelj was appointed President of the Serbian Radical Party and, in June 1991, he was elected a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. At trial, the Prosecution charged Mr. Šešelj with persecution, deportation, and inhumane acts (forcible transfer) as crimes against humanity, as well as murder, torture, cruel treatment, wanton destruction of villages, destruction or wilful damage of institutions dedicated to religion or education, and plunder of public and private property as violations of the laws or customs of war. The Prosecution alleged that Mr. Šešelj planned, ordered, instigated, committed, or otherwise aided and abetted these crimes. It further alleged that he participated in these crimes between August 1991 and September 1993 by way of a joint criminal enterprise, the common purpose of which was the permanent and forcible removal, through the commission of crimes, of a majority of the Croatian, Bosnian Muslim and other non-Serbian populations from approximately one-third of the territory of Croatia and large parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Vojvodina, in Serbia, in order to make these areas a new Serbian-dominated state. The Trial Chamber, by a majority, Judge Lattanzi dissenting, acquitted Mr. Šešelj of all charges. The Prosecution argued that the Trial Chamber erred in law by failing to deliver a reasoned opinion and erred in fact by acquitting Mr. Šešelj. It requested that the Appeals Chamber revise the Trial Judgement to find Mr. Šešelj guilty as charged and sentence him accordingly, or, alternatively, order a retrial. In his Response Brief filed before the hearing, Mr. Šešelj argued that the Prosecution appeal should be dismissed in its entirety. Mr. Šešelj – who has elected to represent himself – was not present at the appeal hearing. In his Response Brief filed before the hearing, Mr. Šešelj indicated that he had no intention of participating in the appeal hearing. In September 2017, the Appeals Chamber gave Mr. Šešelj an opportunity to reconsider his position and warned him that it would instruct the Registrar to assign a standby counsel to represent his procedural interests if he maintained his position not to attend the hearing. Mr. Šešelj did not respond to the invitation to reconsider his position. As a result, Ms. Colleen Rohan was assigned as standby counsel and was present at the appeal hearing to protect his procedural interests. Mr. Šešelj has been given an opportunity to respond to the Prosecution’s oral submissions within 10 days of receiving the B/C/S version of the transcript of the appeal hearing.