diff --git a/ldapcherry/backend/backendAD.py b/ldapcherry/backend/backendAD.py
index 3bc4ba8..d102c0e 100644
--- a/ldapcherry/backend/backendAD.py
+++ b/ldapcherry/backend/backendAD.py
@@ -119,13 +119,6 @@
         for a in attrslist:
             self.attrlist.append(self._str(a))
 
-    def _str(self, s):
-        return s.encode('utf-8')
-
-    def _uni(self, s):
-        return s
-#        return s.decode('utf-16')
-
     def _search_group(self, searchfilter, groupdn):
         ldap_client = self._bind()
         try: