Dubrovnik and Crimes against Cultural Heritage

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is a United Nations court of law dealing with war crimes that took place during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990’s. Since its establishment in 1993, it has irreversibly changed the landscape of international humanitarian law and provided victims an opportunity to voice the horrors they witnessed and experienced.

The Dubrovnik and Crimes against Cultural Heritage documentary produced by ICTY raises important legal questions about cultural crimes, including

-‘Cultural heritage is under legal protection unless it is being used for military purpose, in which case it becomes a legitimate military target’. How can you though, in practice, prove that cultural heritage has not been used for military purpose?