Author: birnEU

Tim Judah

Tim is journalist and author and special correspondent for The Economist.

Tim has worked for many major publications and broadcasters, notably writing wartime reportage from Afghanistan to Ukraine for The New York Review of Books.

He is the author of three books on the Balkans—The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia, Kosovo: War & Revenge and Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know. He published a book on the conflict in Ukraine – In Wartime: Stories from Ukraine in 2016.

For much of 2022 and early 2023 he covered the Ukraine war for The New York Review of Books, The Economist and the Financial Times. He was shortlisted for the 2022 Bayeux-Calvedos award for war correspondents.

Per Byman

Per is a Swedish aid worker. Since 2023 he has been working for Caritas Germany as Senior Humanitarian Advisor for Ukraine and Moldova. Previously, he was the Managing Director at NRC Flüchtlingshilfe Deutschland, which he joined in 2018.

Between 2005 and 2012 he worked for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA, where he served as head of the humanitarian unit responsible for disaster relief. From 1999-2005 Per worked as a program officer for human rights and democracy at Sida’s unit for South Eastern Europe.

Between 1991 and 1997 he worked with humanitarian projects and reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the international Caritas network. He holds an MA in German political linguistics (Politolinguistik).

 

Vesna Bjekic (1952-2014)

Over the course of her journalism career, Vesna has worked with Politika, 4 Jul, YU Panorama, Revijalna Stampa, many local Serbian newspapers, and Croatian weekly Danas.

In 1992, as Yugoslavia fell apart, she began working freelance, and from 1993 until 2000 was a key member of the Alternative Information Network, AIM.

After a time as a contributor to IWPR’s Balkan Crisis Report, she took up the position of IWPR Serbia Office Manager.

Today, she manages the BIRN Hub / BIRN Ltd. office in Belgrade, and coordinates translation and editing for all BIRN’s Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian language report.

 

Pursuit for Justice: Guide to the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of BiH vol.I

Pursuit for Justice explains the main differences between the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, and the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of BiH.

It provides the reader with an overview of the Bosnian court’s mandate, major functions, and structure.

The guide covers topics such as the transfer of cases from the ICTY to the Prosecutor’s Office in BiH and amendments to the criminal procedure, and aims to inform the public, government representatives, and civil society organisations about the way war crime cases are handled before the Court of BiH.

Languages: Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian (BSC) and English

Pursuit for Justice: Guide to the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of BiH vol.II

The second volume of Pursuit for Justice analyses key legal documents that regulate the processing of war crimes cases by the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH.

This volume places particular attention on the methods used to deal with the war’s legacy.

It also lists other institutions in the country that are involved in transitional justice matters, and introduces Justice Report, a specialized news agency of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of BiH that reports from the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of BiH.

Languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BSC) and English

Download the guide as a PDF file in English

History Overshadowed by Trivia: Regional Media Coverage of the Radovan Karadzic Arrest

History Overshadowed by Trivia focuses on media reports on the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in five countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.

The media analysis covered the first two weeks of reporting on the arrest, and showed that deep territorial, national and ideological divisions remained in the region’s media landscape.

The findings discuss the lack of investigative reporting in the media, misrepresentation of facts, as well as the presence of sensationalist and political propaganda.

Languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) and English

History Over Trivia II: Regional and International Media Coverage of the First Year of the Radovan Karadizc Trial

For the production of the second volume of History over Trivia, BIRN BiH analysed one thousand articles published during the first year of the Radovan Karadzic trial.

The media interest, bias, and style of reporting were among the main things monitored in the reports.

The study included articles from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia as well as the major news outlets based

in Europe, USA, and Asia. The publication also features an exclusive Justice Report interview with Radovan Karadzic.

Languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) and English Language

 

Time for Truth: Review of the Work of the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2005-2010

Time for Truth provides the first complete summary of all ongoing and closed cases at the Court of BiH and the Appellate Court from 2005 – 2010.

The publication presents information about indictees, brief descriptions of the criminal act(s) cited in the indictment or sentence, and profiles of those still at large.

Special attention was given to the wording of final verdicts issued by the court because the verdicts contain facts of historical value.

Languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) and English

Download the report as a PDF file in English

The Transparency of Judiciary and Responsibility of the Media: Report from the Regional Conference

This regional conference, organised by BIRN in September 2009, aimed at bridging the gap between the judiciary, local government and media representatives from the Balkan region.

The participants exchanged their views and experiences with regards to professional media reporting about war crimes, and mechanisms in place for dealing with such cases.

The report provides main conclusions and highlights of the conference.

Languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) and English.

Download the report as a PDF file in English
Download the report as a PDF file in BCS

Digging Deeper: A guide for investigative journalists in the Balkans

Digging Deeper is a textbook for investigative journalists and part of the curriculum of the BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting.

Digging Deeper is an output of BIRN’s Investigative Reporting Initiative, which is an educational programme that includes cooperation with international universities and local partners with the aim of putting Digging Deeper into commercial use as a curriculum for investigative reporting.

The book was written in cooperation with Sheila Coronel, director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and professor of professional practice at Columbia University, New York.

In the guide, journalists’ articles, coupled with interesting advice, skills, investigative stories, databases, case studies, exercises and tips and techniques, inspire readers to take up the challenge of a career in investigative journalism.

Digging Deeper showcases interesting investigative stories and individual journalistic successes, as well as providing an overview of investigative techniques. Listings of the various databases available in the Balkan region and tips for practitioners are also useful elements for journalists.

BIRN’s Digging Deeper is part of the curriculum of the BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting. BIRN has published two editionsof the book in English, and it has been translated into the languages of the Western Balkans- Serbian, Albanian and Macedonian.

Download the first chapter for free