The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was established by the United Nations in 1993 to prosecute serious crimes committed during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. It aimed to bring justice for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, promoting accountability and the rule of law in the region. The tribunal operated in The Hague, Netherlands, and concluded its work in 2017. It was significant for its role in establishing legal precedents and addressing issues related to ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and the responsibilities of individuals, including political and military leaders, for their actions during wartime.