This full day training (09h30 – 17h00) will be conducted by Me Stéphane Bourgon Ad.E., former military officer and member of the Canadian Judge Advocate General Branch, who has been practising before international courts (ICTY, ICTR, STL, MICT and ICC) for more than 20 years. International criminal cases often involve complex armed conflicts involving military personnel occupying important command or staff positions. This training will cover why understanding the organization and functioning of the military is paramount for all phases of such cases, including the conduct of investigations. Examining and/or cross-examining military witnesses, in particular high-level commanders, requires detailed military knowledge that can be acquired. This requirement is even greater when dealing with military experts.

Me. Bourgon served in the Canadian Armed Forces for more than 20 years. In fact, he began his legal career in the Office of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, specializing in criminal law and international law. As a military lawyer, Mr Bourgon pleaded cases on numerous occasions – both for the prosecution and the defence – before Standing, Disciplinary, and General (a form of trial by jury) courts-martial.

He also participated in many international missions in Africa and Europe, including, in 1996, as Legal Advisor to the Commander of the 2nd Canadian Multinational Brigade in Bosnia – Herzegovina, deployed as part of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR).

In 1998, having completed his master’s degree (LL.M.) in international criminal law, Mr Bourgon joined the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), where he worked on several large-scale trials before being appointed, in November 1999, as Chef de cabinet to the President of the ICTY; a position he held for more than two years, facilitating liaison between the International Tribunal and the Member States of the Security Council.

Wishing to resume his litigation practice, Me Bourgon became a defence counsel in 2002 and has represented various accused at the ICTY and ICC.