150121SC

Page 43

1 Wednesday, 21 January 2015

2 [Status Conference]

3 [Open session]

4 [The appellants entered court]

5 [Appellant Pusic not present]

6 --- Upon commencing at 3.00 p.m.

7 JUDGE MERON: Please be seated.

8 Registrar, would you please call the case.

9 THE REGISTRAR: Good afternoon, Your Honour. This is the case

10 number IT-04-74-A, the Prosecutor versus Prlic et al.

11 JUDGE MERON: Thank you.

12 I would like to begin by ensuring that the audio equipment is

13 working properly.

14 Can the appellants hear the proceedings in a language they

15 understand.

16 Let me begin with Mr. Prlic. Can you hear me and understand me?

17 THE APPELLANT PRLIC: Yes, Mr. President I'm able to follow you.

18 JUDGE MERON: Thank you.

19 Mr. Stojic.

20 THE APPELLANT STOJIC: [Interpretation] Thank you, Your Honour.

21 Everything is all right.

22 JUDGE MERON: Thank you.

23 Mr. Praljak.

24 THE APPELLANT PRALJAK: [Interpretation] Your Honours, there are

25 no problems. Thank you.

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1 JUDGE MERON: Thank you.

2 Mr. Petkovic.

3 THE APPELLANT PETKOVIC: [Interpretation] Your Honour, everything

4 is all right. Thank you.

5 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Petkovic.

6 Mr. Coric.

7 THE APPELLANT CORIC: [Interpretation] Everything is fine,

8 Your Honour. Thank you.

9 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Coric.

10 Counsel for the Prosecution.

11 MS. FINNIN: Yes, Your Honour. And for the record my name is

12 Sarah Finnin. I appear on behalf of the Prosecution with

13 Senior Appeals Counsel Laurel Baig, Barbara Goy, and our Case Manager

14 Colin Nawrot.

15 JUDGE MERON: Thank you very much, Ms. Finnin.

16 I should note that on the 20th of January, 2015, Mr. Pusic filed

17 his consent to hold today's Status Conference in his absence.

18 Before calling for the appearance of the Defence, I note that on

19 13th of January, 2015, Mr. Prlic filed his waiver of his right to be

20 represented by his counsel and co-counsel during today's

21 Status Conference. Mr. Prlic is confirming the accuracy of that.

22 Let me turn to the other defendants. The defendant for --

23 council for Mr. Stojic.

24 MS. NOZICA: [Interpretation] Good afternoon. Good afternoon to

25 everyone in the courtroom. My name is Senka Nozica. I represent

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1 Mr. Stojic, accompanied by Aidan Ellis, legal assistant.

2 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Ms. Nozica.

3 For Mr. Praljak.

4 MS. PINTER: [Interpretation] Good afternoon, your Honour. Good

5 afternoon to everyone. Representing General Praljak, Nika Pinter,

6 attorney-at-law.

7 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Ms. Pinter.

8 For Mr. Petkovic.

9 MS. ALABURIC: [Interpretation] Good afternoon. Vesna Alaburic

10 representing General Petkovic.

11 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Ms. Alaburic.

12 For Mr. Coric.

13 MR. PLAVEC: [Interpretation] Good afternoon, Your Honour.

14 Drazen Plavec, co-counsel for Mr. Coric.

15 JUDGE MERON: Thank you.

16 For Mr. Pusic.

17 MR. IBRISIMOVIC: [Interpretation] Good afternoon, Your Honour.

18 Representing Mr. Pusic, Counsel Ibrisimovic, Fahrudin Ibrisimovic.

19 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Ibrisimovic.

20 Thank you all.

21 As you are aware, Rule 65 bis (B) of the Rules of Procedure and

22 Evidence requires the Status Conference to be convened within 120 days

23 after the last Status Conference has been held for each appellant in the

24 Tribunal's custody. A Status Conference serves two primary purposes:

25 First, it allows the appellants an opportunity to express concerns

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1 relating to their appeal or detention conditions and for the Tribunal to

2 inquire about the mental and physical condition of the detained persons.

3 Second, it provides an opportunity to update the appellants with respect

4 to the status of their case.

5 In the present case, the last Status Conference was held on

6 23 September 2014. Today's Status Conference was scheduled by order

7 issued on 16 December 2014.

8 I turn to the health of the appellants and let me inquire now

9 into the status of -- the status of the detention conditions and the

10 health situation of the appellants. If any of the appellants wishes,

11 this discussion can take place in a closed session.

12 Anyone who would like me to close the session?

13 I see no desire to close the session, so we will continue with an

14 open session. And let me now go one by one and check whether there are

15 any problems.

16 And, again, let me start with Mr. Prlic.

17 THE APPELLANT PRLIC: Thank you, Mr. President. I have no

18 complaint to make. Thank you.

19 JUDGE MERON: Thank you very much.

20 Mr. Stojic.

21 THE APPELLANT STOJIC: [Interpretation] Everything is fine,

22 Your Honour. I have no complaints.

23 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Stojic.

24 Mr. Praljak. I see Mr. Praljak is ready already.

25 THE APPELLANT PRALJAK: [Interpretation] I don't have any problems

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1 Your Honour, thank you.

2 JUDGE MERON: Thank you so much, Mr. Praljak.

3 Mr. Petkovic.

4 THE APPELLANT PETKOVIC: [Interpretation] No complaints

5 Your Honour.

6 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Petkovic.

7 Mr. Coric.

8 THE APPELLANT PETKOVIC: [Interpretation] Everything is fine,

9 Your Honour. Thank you.

10 JUDGE MERON: Thank you, Mr. Coric.

11 Let me now say a few words about the recent procedural history of

12 this case, an update. All the appellants' briefs in this case were filed

13 on 12th January 2014. The Defence and the Prosecution respondents briefs

14 are to be filed no later than 7 May 2015, and the Defence and the

15 Prosecution's and reply briefs are to be filed no later than 29 May 2015.

16 Let me now ask you whether any of the parties have any issues

17 that they would like to raise?

18 MS. FINNIN: No, Your Honour. No issues to raise.

19 JUDGE MERON: I see that neither the Defence nor the Prosecution

20 have any issues that they would like to raise. I did not formally hear

21 from the appellants, but I understand that the answer is no.

22 Since there are no other matters to be raised, I thank the

23 parties for their attendance. I thank the interpreters and the Registry,

24 and I adjourn these proceedings.

25 --- Whereupon the Status Conference adjourned

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1 at 3.10 p.m.