Symbolic reparation in some Ad Hoc tribunals

Abstract

Symbolic reparation is a concept linked to the memory of the events marked in the world; its purpose is to achieve a true peace that includes the victims, ensuring public acceptance of the facts, public pardon, and the restoration of the dignity of them (the victims). At the same time, that the new generations look back and do not repeat the same mistakes. International tribunals have been called to resolve these problems at different times and scenarios of the world; they have existed since the beginning of the modern international system, and were created with the purpose of solving criminal cases against individuals, and to face the most serious international crimes, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Since then, other special tribunals have been set up, in order to judge national and international crimes; some examples of these tribunals are those constituted in Nuremberg, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The development of these legal mechanisms is a very important component in post-conflict contexts and transitional justice, since they promote the debate about the need to work in favor of peace and reconciliation in a country, facing the demands of justice for victims of human rights violations, so that they do not feel any impairment of their rights as victims by their perpetrators, and also, in order to genuine restorative justice be guaranteed.