The translation of evidence at the ICTY: A ground-breaking institution

The article examines the role of translators at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and how their translations of evidentiary documents are used in trials. Drawing on theoretical studies and practical examples, it rejects the notion that the meaning of source documents can ever be conveyed with complete fidelity and accuracy but shows how this problem is resolved by adopting flexible translation strategies and enabling parties to check translations against the originals at every stage of proceedings. This system, which evolved over a period of many years, is contrasted with the often haphazard organization of translation at the Nuremberg Tribunal.