Page 201
1 Friday, 31 October 2008
2 [Status Conference]
3 [Open session]
4 --- Upon commencing at 2.32 p.m.
5 JUDGE PROST: Good afternoon to everyone.
6 Madam Registrar, could you call the case, please.
7 THE REGISTRAR: Good afternoon, Your Honour. This is case number
8 IT-05-88/2-PT, The Prosecutor versus Zdravko Tolimir.
9 JUDGE PROST: Thank you very much. Good afternoon to everyone.
10 Mr. Tolimir, I with like to confirm that you're receiving
11 interpretation and you can understand the proceedings, and should there
12 be difficulty - I see you acknowledging that you do have translation at
13 the moment - should you encounter any difficulties, please let me know
14 immediately. Okay. Thank you.
15 The appearances, I note, for the Prosecution, Mr. McCloskey,
16 Mr. Thayer, Mr. Vanderpuye, and Ms. Stewart.
17 And Mr. Tolimir, of course, is self-represented, and I do note,
18 however, that Mr. Gajic, one of his legal advisors, is present in the
19 court this afternoon with the permission of the Chamber.
20 This is the sixth Status Conference in this case. At the last
21 one being held on the 30th of July, I think, by now, all very familiar
22 with the purposes behind the requirements of Rule 65 bis (A). I want to
23 begin.
24 I have a few items this afternoon, and then, of course, I will
25 allow the parties to raise any matters that they wish to bring to my
Page 202
1 attention. But as I previewed at the previous Status Conference, one of
2 the main things I want to accomplish today is to set some of the final
3 deadlines for filings.
4 I'll start, Mr. McCloskey, I note that the Prosecution on the
5 15th of October has filed the 65 ter list, the witness list, the witness
6 summaries, and the exhibit lists in this case, which the Chamber has
7 reviewed, and I assume Mr. Tolimir has received that as well.
8 I'm going to -- sorry.
9 Mr. Tolimir, go ahead.
10 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Good afternoon. I would like to
11 say good afternoon to everyone, and I'd like this trial to be conducted
12 according to God's will. I would like to tell that you I have not
13 received, from the English translation into the Serbian translation, the
14 summary that you're talking about; and as I say, I don't understand what
15 it says in English because I don't understand English.
16 Thank you.
17 JUDGE PROST: Thank you for that, Mr. Tolimir. Yes, I'm sorry, I
18 had suspected, perhaps, that perhaps the translation has not been
19 prepared. I'm sure it is being prepared and will be provided to you
20 in -- in due course. But for your benefit, at this point, Mr. Tolimir,
21 if you have regard to Rule 65 ter, you will see the requirements on the
22 Prosecution in terms of the filing of a list of the witnesses they intend
23 to produce in their case, summaries of the evidence of those witnesses,
24 as well as exhibits. That material has been filed in English, and I'm
25 assuming that you will receive it soon in the translated version.
Page 203
1 So if there's any difficulties, obviously, we can come back to
2 that at some point, but that is basically what I was addressing.
3 Now, following upon that filing, Mr. McCloskey, two matters that
4 I want to try and set some dates for today: One, of course, the
5 pre-trial brief; and, secondly, I can advise that this Trial Chamber is
6 quite prepared to entertain and decide motions under 92 bis with respect
7 to proposed written evidence and, as well, motions on adjudicated facts
8 under Rule 94. We will entertain both those motions. I appreciate,
9 particularly with the those motions having reviewed your 65 ter list,
10 that that will involve a considerable month of material.
11 So, if I ask you, Mr. McCloskey, with reference to both those
12 items, the pre-trial brief and, as well, those motions, if you could give
13 me an indication of timing that would be feasible for the Prosecution.
14 MR. McCLOSKEY: Good afternoon, Madam President.
15 I think -- well, we are still on track for mid-November for the
16 pre-trial brief; and the 92 bis motion and adjudicated facts, given the
17 vast majority of witnesses we would like to be 92 bis no
18 cross-examination, that is going to be an extensive filing, as you've
19 eluded to, and extremely important for the resources and the future of
20 this trial. I would really like to get -- have significant time to do
21 that, which I would think it would be best if I could consult briefly
22 with colleagues.
23 JUDGE PROST: Go ahead.
24 [Prosecution counsel confer]
25 JUDGE PROST: Yes, Mr. McCloskey.
Page 204
1 MR. McCLOSKEY: Well, we naturally all agreed very quickly.
2 February 1 would , given everything that we have to do and the importance
3 of this, would fit our schedule the best. We need to get up to the
4 holidays and get beyond them and then finish it up.
5 JUDGE PROST: Thank you, Mr. McCloskey.
6 Mr. Tolimir, before I set the deadline, do you have any comment
7 you wish to make regarding these filing deadlines. This is it in
8 relation to the requirements of the Rules for a pre-trial brief and for
9 two specific motions that the Prosecution is indicated they are going to
10 bring relating to Rule 92 bis, which allows allowed for the introduction
11 of written evidence without cross-examination; and the Rule 94, which
12 allows the Trial Chamber to admit certain adjudicated facts. So you
13 could have regard to both those rules.
14 Have you any particular comment on the time-line. So this is
15 solely on the question of when the Prosecution will be required to file
16 those materials.
17 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you.
18 I think that it is inappropriate at a Status Conference to
19 discuss something that the parties should state their views and that both
20 parties are not aware of. I can observe that the Registry has not sent
21 me what you're discussing now. They haven't supplied me with that at
22 all, and that is inappropriate and untenable. It is also untenable to
23 ask me to make any comments since I haven't received the material.
24 I received the text in English which I don't understand.
25 Thank you.
Page 205
1 JUDGE PROST: Thank you, Mr. Tolimir.
2 Let me just try to clarify this. The material which I first
3 discussed, and I simply was noting on the record that it had been
4 received, was the pre-trial brief filed by the Prosecution -- I'm sorry,
5 was the 65 ter lists, which is required under that rule. That material,
6 you're correct, has not yet been provided to you in a translated form,
7 but it will be provided to you.
8 The second issue which I just discussed with Mr. McCloskey was
9 the question of material that has yet to be filed, so it's not material
10 that you have not received in translated version, Mr. Tolimir. It's
11 material that the Prosecution will file. I'm simply going to set now the
12 dates for the filing of that material, which I would not anticipate you
13 would have a particular comment upon. It is not material that you
14 haven't been provided it. It is simply that the Prosecution is going to
15 file, as required, the pre-trial brief and is going to elect to file
16 motions under particular rules. So that is the situation.
17 So, based on the submissions I have received from the
18 Prosecution, I will, Mr. McCloskey, just to avoid having to bring any
19 applications to extend time, for the purposes of the pre-trial brief, I
20 will set the filing deadline for Friday, the 28th of November, so that we
21 can ensure that you have adequate time to prepare and file a full brief.
22 That, then, Mr. Tolimir, will be translated and provided to you.
23 With reference is to the motions, I will, again, just to give you
24 times, so that we don't have to deal with motions, I will set the filing
25 time for those two motions, or there may be more than two contained in
Page 206
1 there, but for the motions related to 92 bis and Rule 94 for
2 February 13th, again, on a Friday.
3 So, again, Mr. Tolimir that is not material that will you have at
4 the moment, but you will ultimately receive it, and then you will have to
5 respond to it at that time.
6 So, having dealt with those particular filing deadlines, I did
7 want to mention, Mr. Tolimir, to you, that at the next Status Conference,
8 or after the filing of these materials by the Prosecution, I will, then,
9 be turning to you to set deadlines for the filing of a notice on a
10 special Defence under Rule 67 (B) and the Defence pre-trial brief.
11 So I'm just forewarning you. There's nothing today that you need
12 to be addressing on that, but those deadlines will be forthcoming in the
13 near future, so you will need to be preparing for that with your legal
14 advisors.
15 I'm going to move on to the question of possible agreed facts.
16 Now, there's provision in Rule 65 ter (H) whereby the parties can agree
17 to certain facts, which then can be admitted before the Trial Chamber.
18 This is a particularly important rule not only for the purposes of
19 judicial economy in terms of time and resources, but it also really
20 permits both parties to focus on the key issues in the case, which are
21 disputed. So to the greater extent to which the parties can reach
22 agreement, the better in terms of focussing the case on the issues
23 that -- for the Trial Chamber and the parties to address.
24 So I place considerable emphasis on this. I know it's been
25 raised with you at the meetings at the senior legal officer had with both
Page 207
1 parties.
2 Mr. McCloskey, perhaps you could advise whether there has been
3 any discussions any progress on -- I appreciate you're not going to be in
4 a position to give conclusive answers, but can you advise whether any
5 progress in this area.
6 MR. McCLOSKEY: Well, I had a chance to briefly speak with
7 Mr. Gajic today, he spoke briefly to Mr. Tolimir, and so we're beginning
8 discussions. They haven't started out very well, but we'll still --
9 we'll continue them, and especially now that perhaps Mr. Tolimir is
10 hearing how important this is.
11 I have suggested that there are plenty of facts that we are ready
12 to agree to, especially regards historical facts, UN resolutions, the
13 conduct of the 28th division, Naser Oric, as well as many, many other
14 things. We have been unable to convince Mr. Tolimir to meet with us, so
15 that makes it difficult, but we remain available to discuss this with
16 him, and we also, of course, are in touch with Mr. Gajic.
17 JUDGE PROST: And, Mr. McCloskey, if it would assist in the
18 process, I take it the Prosecution would be prepared to put forward in
19 writing some possible agreed facts. I appreciate that the discussions --
20 the importance of the discussions, and I will raise that issue shortly,
21 but I assume that is a possibility.
22 MR. McCLOSKEY: Yes, it is, and, actually, Mr. Gajic and I
23 have -- Mr. Gajic just suggested that, and I responded that, yes, that is
24 possible, but I would first like to hear from Mr. Tolimir that he was
25 amenable to starting the process in that regard. The response I got back
Page 208
1 from Mr. Gajic was that Mr. Tolimir was not.
2 But, as I say, that has just begun, and I don't know how much
3 information Mr. Tolimir was able to get from Mr. Gajic. Not much. We've
4 just had a brief discussion, so we, of course, remain open to do that,
5 though communication is somewhat limited.
6 JUDGE PROST: Okay. Thank you, Mr. McCloskey.
7 Mr. Tolimir, if I could turn to you on this issue. As I've
8 indicated, I place great importance on these agreed facts, and let me
9 stress this is not just in terms of the Prosecution. There may be many
10 facts that you wish to put forward that could also be subject to
11 agreement with the Prosecution, so it is a two-way tool, if you will.
12 So, Mr. Tolimir, can you advise me whether are you, indeed,
13 prepared to discuss this matter with the Prosecution?
14 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you.
15 I want to say, for the record, that I will not accept and
16 recognise a single adjudicated fact which has not been proved in my trial
17 before this court. In view of the fact that there were many agreements
18 made and bargaining between the Prosecutor and others, with respect to
19 these facts, I'd like to have all these facts proved and -- during the
20 trial, during the proceedings.
21 Thank you.
22 JUDGE PROST: Mr. Tolimir, there is perhaps some lack of clarity
23 here. There is a significant difference between the adjudicated facts
24 which the Prosecution has indicated an intention to put forward a number
25 of facts that they would like the Court to accept on the basis of Rule 94
Page 209
1 as having been adjudicated or being subject to judicial notice, in
2 essence, that is one thing. But what I'm talking about at this point are
3 not things that the Court would rule upon based on a motion, but, rather,
4 points in this case which both parties agree to. It's not that we're
5 dealing with matters where the Court would rule on an application from
6 your party or the other; it's facts that the both parties can come
7 forward and say, "Yes, we both agree on whatever the fact may be."
8 So, in that light, would you be prepared to at least discuss that
9 matter, to look at the some of the proposed facts which you might very
10 well agree to and want to have in evidence without having to call
11 witnesses or documentary material.
12 Can I ask to you just respond on that, Mr. Tolimir, please?
13 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you.
14 I thought you understand me when I said that I cannot accept any
15 adjudicated fact until I test it here, the witnesses, the evidence, in
16 court during the trial in keeping with procedure which relate to my
17 trial.
18 If I was not clear enough, then you can write it down, write it
19 for me, and I will respond in writing as well.
20 Thank you.
21 JUDGE PROST: Thank you, Mr. Tolimir.
22 Well, I'm not satisfied with that particular conclusion on this
23 issue; however, I will leave it there for the moment. I would encourage
24 the Prosecution and the legal advisors, Mr. Gajic, I would encourage you
25 to discuss this matter further.
Page 210
1 Mr. Gajic, I would ask to you discuss it further with
2 Mr. Tolimir, perhaps going through the Rules with him, and I would ask
3 that you do discuss the matter with the Prosecution as well.
4 We will revisit this issue in due course because given the nature
5 of this case, I think there is considerable scope for agreed facts that
6 are not controversial. I'm going to leave it in the hands of the parties
7 to try. I know that both parties will make efforts.
8 I hope, Mr. Tolimir, that you will take into consideration the
9 discussions, and we can come back to this at the next Status Conference.
10 Okay. Before I proceed on to some issues relating to, well, at
11 least one pending motion, Mr. Tolimir, I want to raise something with
12 you, and I don't necessarily want to discuss this in depth today. In
13 fact, I would really prefer - Mr. Tolimir, I will obviously give you a
14 chance to comment - but I would really prefer if you would simply just
15 take this away with you, think about it over the period of time between
16 now and the next Status Conference.
17 The issue, Mr. Tolimir, I want to return to, because it has been
18 the subject of much discussion previously, is the question of your
19 representation.
20 With the material that the Prosecution has filed, which I know
21 you have yet to see but you will you see it shortly, and the various
22 materials that I just spoke about that are to come, I'm certain that
23 you're going to in the coming weeks have a much better sense of the
24 complexity of this matter, the legal complexity of this matter, and the
25 challenges that you're going to face in trial preparations as a
Page 211
1 self-represented accused.
2 Now, you have stated on the record before me on a number of
3 occasions, Mr. Tolimir, that you're not a lawyer; and while you do have
4 the benefit of legal advisors, I want you to be clear that there are
5 significant limitations as to what they can do for you in that capacity
6 as advisors and not as counsel.
7 I'm clearly of the opinion from some of the comments that you
8 have made during the course of the proceedings that there are things that
9 you would like your legal advisors to do. There are roles you would like
10 them to play which are reserved for counsel, appointed counsel, and which
11 legal advisors simply cannot carry out in their limited capacities.
12 With a case of this complexity, Mr. Tolimir, I'm convinced you
13 would benefit enormously from the full assistance of counsel representing
14 you. I believe you're putting yourself at considerable disadvantage by
15 not availing yourself of the opportunity to have counsel represent you.
16 I want to stress, Mr. Tolimir, that the -- having counsel
17 represent you does not in any way signify a loss of control over your
18 Defence. It is your Defence. It remains your Defence. It is simply
19 that counsel would be able to assist you with the various legal issues
20 and represent you in the various procedural matters that are going to
21 occur both pre-trial and obviously during the trial.
22 But at all times, it is for you to instruct your counsel, so
23 control remains entirely in your hands. In addition, you would not lose
24 entirely all rights of audience. This Trial Chamber certainly does hear
25 directly from accused on particular issues, even though you're
Page 212
1 represented by counsel.
2 So, as I say, I would really prefer if you didn't respond
3 immediately to me today. I'd like to you think about what I've said,
4 think about it in the context of your particular case, your particular
5 circumstances, talk to your legal advisors in whom you already clearly
6 have considerable trust, and I'm sure that trust is well-placed; and at
7 the next Status Conference, we can discuss the matter again.
8 But I urge you, Mr. Tolimir, in your own interests, to give this
9 matter consideration.
10 Do you have any comments at this time? As I said, it's something
11 that I'd like to you think about.
12 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you. Yes, I could wish do
13 comment, certainly. I think that it is inappropriate to ask me the
14 question of my representation or to bring into question
15 self-representation. You are here to judge on what the parties decide,
16 and I have under Rule 21(4)(d) the right to defend myself. So I think it
17 is inappropriate for the Tribunal to impose counsel on me and eliminate
18 my legal advisors who assist me where I need assistance and who carry out
19 work in the field or here in court, in view of the fact that I'm in the
20 detention unit and do not have the freedom to see to many of these
21 problems and questions.
22 I think this is this very inappropriate and that you should bear
23 in mind my submission, the submission I filed on the subject, and we
24 discussed it at the last Status Conference as well. I think you should
25 consider it and respond to in keeping with the Rules of Procedure and
Page 213
1 Evidence. I would like to say quite definitively for the record that I
2 do not wish anybody else to represent me in this court at all.
3 I wish to defend myself, conduct my own Defence, and to defend
4 myself of the all the charges raised against me, because I'm best placed
5 to know the situation I was in. I do not wish to discuss the matter
6 anymore, except to say what I set out in my submission and to receive
7 your response to that submission.
8 Thank you.
9 JUDGE PROST: All right, Mr. Tolimir. We will leave the matter
10 there for the moment, but I would appreciate if you would give some
11 consideration to what I said. But I've heard your response, and we'll
12 move on to other matters.
13 There are several pending motions, as both parties will be aware
14 of, which the Trial Chamber intends to deal with in due course. I don't
15 intend to address them today specifically, with one exception, however,
16 and this is a matter we should discuss briefly. I don't intend at all to
17 deal with it substantively today. That is the -- it begins with the
18 Prosecution's submission of the 15th of the October, attaching a response
19 from the government of Serbia
20 There are, I believe, two submissions from you, Mr. Tolimir, on
21 that communication from Serbia
22 there is an third which has been filed. That includes a CD attached to
23 it, but that I have not seen a translated version of.
24 So, as I say, I don't wish to deal with the substance of the
25 matter today. In brief, the government of Serbia has provided a response
Page 214
1 to request made by Prosecution, and Mr. Tolimir has raised issues
2 regarding that response, as well as going to the question of the
3 circumstances of his arrest substantively.
4 Mr. Tolimir, you asked that you be given an opportunity to
5 inspect the original of the document sent from the government of the
6 Serbia
7 to spend time in court today doing that.
8 However, I would ask, Mr. McCloskey, I would ask you to make
9 arrangements so that Mr. Tolimir is begin a opportunity to look at the
10 original, which I presume is feasible.
11 MR. McCLOSKEY: Yes, Madam President. We are -- it's coming down
12 from Belgrade
13 on Monday at 2.00, and that seems to be agreed upon by Mr. Tolimir and
14 Mr. Gajic.
15 JUDGE PROST: Great, I'm happy to hear that.
16 I assume that the -- I was going to raise with the Prosecution
17 whether you have had access to the recording of the television programme
18 mentioned in Mr. Tolimir's submission. I suspect that the CD -- oh, no.
19 I'm being told no.
20 I assume that you will have discussions with Mr. Gajic as well on
21 that, and Mr. Gajic I would assume will facilitate access to that
22 material.
23 MR. McCLOSKEY: Yes. We got a CD from yesterday from Mr. Gajic.
24 JUDGE PROST: Thank you very much.
25 I won't deal any further with this matter today because the
Page 215
1 materials, as I said, have just arrived. I only received the two
2 submissions earlier this week; and, obviously, I want to hear from the
3 Prosecution in response to the submissions made by Mr. Tolimir. But I
4 just wanted to ensure that the material relevant to this issue was
5 flowing back and forth.
6 So unless there are some additional comments on that topic from
7 either party, I don't think --
8 Mr. Tolimir, did you have anything you wish to add on this. As I
9 said, I certainly have your submissions which we will certainly have
10 regard to, the Trial Chamber will have regard to. Do you have any
11 comments to make in addition?
12 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you.
13 Yes, I do I have an additional comment. It's not only a matter
14 of establishing whether the document that was sent through electronic
15 means to the database is an original one and is the same as the one that
16 is travelling, as the Prosecutor said, as we speak, to The Hague
17 talking about two other very important facts. That is that the minister
18 of the interior, who allegedly is sending that document to you, three
19 days after I received the document, said that I had been arrested in
20 Belgrade
21 So these are new facts and these new facts are important for the
22 Tribunal, not only for the Prosecution but for the Tribunal as a whole.
23 You should take them as being new facts, and they deserve being dealt
24 with in the submission. I'd like to stress that it is completely
25 inappropriate, as far as I'm concerned, to discuss whether a paper is a
Page 216
1 forgery or not; whereas, the minister said, in a public programme, that I
2 had been arrested in Belgrade
3 Prosecution is referring to here and the document that I am to see on
4 Monday or whenever. I think that is inappropriate.
5 I would like to say for the record that truth transcends both
6 time and space, and it has done so in this case, too, from the moment I
7 was arrested to the present day. So that truth stands. Nobody can
8 change it, none of the parties can change it, as suits them, whether I
9 was arrested -- saying that I was arrested in America or Serbia
10 arrested in Serbia
11 Now whether we receive one document which is like this or that, I
12 don't care about that. I know was arrested in Belgrade in Serbia
13 this Court is there to decide upon that matter.
14 I'd like to say for the record that, as I am a believer, I am
15 sure that my case will be tried by a higher court, the court of God, not
16 a worldly court, because the facts are indisputable, the truth is
17 indisputable. The person who is sending you the document, I claim, as
18 does my Defence, is that the document was not legally compiled in the
19 first place.
20 Thank you.
21 JUDGE PROST: Yes, Mr. Tolimir. Thank you.
22 As I said, we're taking this step by step. I certainly
23 appreciate that you have made submissions which go not just to the
24 authenticity, or not, of the communication from the government of Serbia
25 but you are also challenging the circumstances with respect to your
Page 217
1 arrest and are advancing this position as a new fact that you wish the
2 Chamber to take into consideration.
3 So, I am well aware of the full nature of the submission that you
4 are making; and as I said, in due course we will give consideration to
5 all of these points. For the moment today, I simply wanted to make sure
6 that all relevant material was going to be available to both parties, and
7 then when we will hear the relevant submissions and the Trial Chamber
8 will consider the matter further.
9 So I will leave that particular issue there for today.
10 As I say, I won't touch on any other of the pending motions. You
11 will receive written comment on those eventually.
12 I'm going to move now to some issues, Mr. Tolimir, relating to
13 your detention conditions and your health. These are all issues that I'm
14 following up on from matters raised at the prior Status Conference and,
15 as well, which have been the subject of the written submissions on your
16 part.
17 The first is that - and I think we can clear this very quickly -
18 we had discussed the issue of having made available to you space in the
19 detention unit for your documents and work, and I have been informed that
20 that space has been provided and that you are making use of it.
21 I just wanted to confirm that, Mr. Tolimir, that you have
22 received the space and are making use of it. I see you nodding, so we
23 don't need to consider that further. It appears to be resolved.
24 Going to move to two other issues, however, which also relate
25 directly to conditions of accident and health. For parts of this, I am
Page 218
1 going to need to go in and out of private session.
2 So I will indicate, Madam Registrar, when I need to do so. For
3 the moment, we can remain in open session.
4 I want to premise my remarks in this area by reiterating that the
5 regulation of matters of this nature, matters of the conditions of
6 detention and the monitoring of health issues, is the primary
7 responsibility of the officials of the UNDU and the Registry. Due
8 deference must be shown by those dealing with the day-to-day management
9 of the detention unit and have the requisite expertise and knowledge to
10 best address these conditions of detention and health. I fully recognise
11 that, and I am fully cognizant of that rule and responsibility resting
12 with the Registry and the detention unit.
13 However, this should not be misconstrued so as to consider that
14 the Pre-Trial Judge and the Trial Chamber has not role in these matters.
15 Clearly, the fact that the rules mandate that we raise this issues at the
16 Status Conference is clear evidence that we have a role to play.
17 In any event, this Trial Chamber is very interested and concerned
18 in all matters related to the conditions of detention and to the health
19 and well-being of the accused, and do we have an important oversight role
20 in our view.
21 So, with that in mind, I'm going to move the two specific issues,
22 starting with first the question that was raised by you, Mr. Tolimir, on
23 the monitoring of your cell and issues of interruption of your sleep as a
24 result.
25 Madam Registrar, could we go into private session, please.
Page 219
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10 THE REGISTRAR: We're in open session, Your Honour.
11 JUDGE PROST: In these circumstances as described, the Trial
12 Chamber will not intervene in relation to the monitoring measures
13 employed with respect to your cell, Mr. Tolimir. We have heard from the
14 responsible officials who are on-site, who have the requisite knowledge
15 and training, and we rely on their assessment and have confidence in
16 their assessment in this matter as to what is necessary and appropriate
17 in terms of monitoring your condition.
18 I will only, ask as I did previously, that the officials at the
19 detention unit continue to strive to carry out the monitoring in a manner
20 which is as non-disruptive as possible, particularly during the night;
21 and, of course, you can continue to bring any particular problems or
22 occurrences to the attention of the relevant officials.
23 I'm going to go through both issues, Mr. Tolimir, before I give
24 the floor over to you.
25 The second issue relating to detention, and I am extremely
Page 221
1 disappointed that I actually have to deal with this, again, in court, and
2 it relates to access to specific teas which you have outlined in both a
3 written an oral submissions, Mr. Tolimir, as being important to you for
4 health reasons. I was hoping the matter could have been resolved through
5 decisions, but it appears that is not the case.
6 So, on this issue, I also have made inquiries and ask that
7 inquiries be made at the UNDU.
8 Madam Registrar, can we go back into private session, please.
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Page 223
1 [Open session]
2 THE REGISTRAR: We're in open session, Your Honour.
3 JUDGE PROST: In dealing with this issue, I need to be satisfied
4 that the medical officer at the detention unit has considered this matter
5 in terms of medical health issue that the accused has raised in his
6 request for this material for that particular purpose. I need to know
7 that he or she has discussed these points with you, Mr. Tolimir, has
8 considered any recommendations from other physicians on the use of these
9 teas, and that then has consideration to possible benefits weighed
10 against what other medical relevant considerations he or she appropriate.
11 I would also like to know why initially it was considered
12 acceptable for the tea to be provided to you, Mr. Tolimir, by your wife
13 subject to inspection and, subsequently, that practice was prohibited.
14 So, in short, unless the logistical barriers can be overcome and
15 can you be given access to the detention unit to these teas, I want to
16 hear from the medical officer as to his consideration of this issue on a
17 specific basis, not just in a general way.
18 So I would ask, Madam Registrar, that this be communicated,
19 including the portions that were mentioned in private session, so that I
20 can receive a response from the detention unit on -- and the medical unit
21 on this particular issue.
22 So that, Mr. Tolimir, is where I have come to, in terms of the
23 points you have brought to my attention. Do you wish to raise any other
24 matters? I don't think we can go further on either of those questions
25 today, but do you have any other matters that you wish to bring to my
Page 224
1 attention on the issue of health or conditions of detention, and I note
2 we are in open session, as is your preference.
3 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you.
4 I'll respond briefly to the questions you raised of why I was
5 allowed them first and then not allowed them afterwards.
6 You are to make a decision on the submission --
7 JUDGE PROST: Mr. Tolimir, just to clarify, that question is
8 actually aimed at the detention unit. I want them to provide me with an
9 explanation. You can certainly comment on it, but those questions I'm
10 putting to the detention unit. I want them to report back to me on that,
11 but you can certainly provide me with your comments, but be clear that
12 I'm asking them provide an explanation as well.
13 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you. I will give you an
14 answer to that question of yours to you straight away at this Status
15 Conference.
16 I came here in 2007 when I was kidnapped, and my blood pressure
17 220 over 120, so my systolic was 220, my diastolic was 120. When I left
18 hospital, I treated myself with prayers with a priests, and the priest
19 came to the UN premises. And after that, my blood pressure returned to
20 levels which did not need medication to be dealt with.
21 I was asked to be allowed to drink the teas that I had drunk for
22 20 years. I had a kidney operation. My kidneys had been impaired, two
23 ribs have been extracted. And as a result of the surgery, my blood
24 pressure is high, and I drink Uvae tea. This is a tea that is readily
25 available all other Yugoslavia
Page 225
1 So have I been drinking the Uvae tea for 30 years, and I have been
2 keeping my blood pressure in check, but as the Bearberry tea is not
3 working, then I had to resort to this tea.
4 My wife -- when I brought my pressure to the normal level 120/80,
5 the commander of the detention unit told me in my presence and my wife's
6 presence that the Registry would not allow me to drink the tea. 180/80.
7 So allow me, it would -- it would have been better for them to
8 help me than to hinder me.
9 JUDGE PROST: Mr. Tolimir, I am sorry to interrupt you, but you
10 appear to be quite upset here, and I don't want you -- I mean, perhaps
11 you need a few minutes to take a break. Would you like to do that?
12 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] I don't need a break. I will speak
13 more calmly, but please listen to me.
14 They forbid that tea. And in August, last year, an extraordinary
15 Status Conference was organised when you were on holiday where an
16 extraordinary Pre-Trial Judge was named to decide upon my health
17 situation. I didn't accept that Status Conference. Then they ordered
18 that I be placed in hospital and doctors, specialists examined me; and
19 neuro-surgeons examined and their conclusion that there was no reason for
20 me to be in hospital any longer, that it was sufficient for me to drink
21 those teas.
22 But the management didn't listen to the decision made by the
23 Registry and forbade my wife to bring plea the tea anymore, and so I'm
24 living without teas -- this tea and without the medicaments, and I'd like
25 you to bear that in mind. Teas were prescribed to me and they are --
Page 226
1 JUDGE PROST: Because I don't want you to get here, I do
2 understand what you're submitting; and, in fact, that is the whole basis
3 of what I just related, is that I do understand that you have raised
4 these concerns and that is why I'm asking the medical unit to look into
5 the matter further.
6 You can be assured I understand the submissions you have made and
7 the background to this issue, and I know it is significant to you and
8 that is why I have asked that that the medical unit look into this matter
9 further. So you can be assured that I am following up on the issue that
10 you have raised, okay? I am well aware of the written submissions.
11 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you for your understanding.
12 JUDGE PROST: That will be followed up.
13 Are there other matters or is there anything else that you want
14 to bring it my attention. That matter will be followed up.
15 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Thank you for your understanding,
16 for solving that question. Please bear in mind that rules governing the
17 detention unit allows detainees to use different teas, religious customs,
18 and so on. So, then, you can't forbid an Englishman to drink tea, for
19 example, so I'd like to ask to you bring in a reasonable decision as the
20 Chamber.
21 Thank you.
22 Now I'd like to respond to the other matter you raised, and that
23 is the question of the supervision and monitoring of my cell. What I am
24 asking you is this --
25 JUDGE PROST: Mr. Tolimir, I will hear from you on this. I want
Page 227
1 to you keep in mind that I investigated this matter, and, as indicated,
2 it is very a matter within the purview of the UNDU, of the detention unit
3 and the authorities there. If you want to make an additional point,
4 that's fine; but I have given consideration to the points you have made
5 previously.
6 But, please go ahead, bearing that in mind.
7 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] I'm not forgetting that, but I
8 should like to ask you to create conditions for me to be able work
9 normally. I would like to say, for the transcript, and I would like to
10 say it to you, as the Judge, that every minutes, during the day and
11 during the night, that is to say, 24 hours around the clock, I am woken
12 up by these physical monitoring measures, to see whether I'm alive or
13 not.
14 They need to have the light switched on in order to do that, and
15 the window has to be open on the doors. They have to knock on the window
16 and the door to wake me up so that I give some signs ever life;
17 otherwise, there's no reason for their monitoring me if they don't me
18 move. So they have make a noise to wake me up so that they get a gesture
19 from me or some movement from me, which means that I just have 30 minutes
20 of uninterrupted sleep, and I am to defend myself.
21 How am I going able to study all the material and to work here,
22 to be at the Status Conferences, if I'm woken up every half-hour during
23 the day and during the night? If I go to the bathroom, then I'm being
24 monitored. If I am sleeping, I am being monitored. So you must bear
25 that in mind.
Page 228
1 The video cameras have a light monitoring, visual monitoring, and
2 so on; and round the clock, there are stereo sounds and amplification.
3 They can hear every movement I make, they can hear my heartbeat, so I
4 don't really know why they wake me up. What I'm asking is to be allowed
5 to have at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep, and I would like you
6 to understand that because these are drastic draconian measures.
7 Whenever I need to write a submission or anything like that, a
8 new doctor is brought in who is not from the detention unit, he is not a
9 specialist. He just appears on an occasion when a statement needs to be
10 written to you for a Status Conference, and then he just writes down what
11 he thinks he should. Then you get that, but I don't see what he has
12 written. He is not a specialist, and he is just there to write down what
13 measures they want to apply to me and to have you informed about.
14 But I don't know what measures require me to be woken up every
15 half-hour. So if I hear a noise, if they make a noise to wake me up and
16 to see if I am reacting, that wakes me up. So what I am asking you is if
17 you can help me have the necessary conditions for sleep. They can leave
18 the camera. I don't mind a camera. If they need it a camera, they can
19 have a camera working around the clock. The camera doesn't wake me up,
20 so it is better for me to have video surveillance than have them wake mea
21 up and monitor me that way.
22 I'm not --
23 JUDGE PROST: [Previous translation continues] ...
24 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] I'm not taking medicine, so what
25 they have to do is to establish that I am in fact alive.
Page 229
1 JUDGE PROST: I have your submissions on this. I -- we've had
2 them both in writing and orally. As I say, the matter has been looked
3 at, and I would again, as I have done, encourage the detention unit, the
4 medical office, to discuss this matter with you and to try and carry out
5 what they consider to be necessary, in the least disruptive way as
6 possible.
7 So I think we have to leave it at that today. Your comments are
8 all on the record, and, again, I would ask the relevant officials to
9 discuss them with you further. Okay, Mr. Tolimir? We have your detailed
10 the submissions on the point, and they are understood.
11 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] I agree to anything that will allow
12 me to have six hours of uninterrupted sleep and rest. If you consider
13 that I don't need six hours of sleep and rest and should be in court to
14 defend myself and you want these Draconian measures to continue, then you
15 could do so. I am praying to God, and I hope that Jesus Christ will
16 resolve these issues, but thank you.
17 JUDGE PROST: Thank you, Mr. Tolimir.
18 All right. That brings to a conclusion all the matters that I
19 had for discussion today.
20 Mr. McCloskey, is there anything further from the Prosecution at
21 this time?
22 MR. McCLOSKEY: No, Madam President.
23 JUDGE PROST: Thank you.
24 Mr. Tolimir, any other issues that you wish to bring to my
25 attention before we adjourn?
Page 230
1 THE ACCUSED: [Interpretation] Yes, thank you.
2 What always happens prior to a Status Conference is that
3 documents are provided to me by the Registry which haven't been
4 translated. On the eve of a Status Conference. For example, I still
5 have not received the translation of your instructions that this Status
6 Conference be held in the Serbian language, whereas we're here at the
7 Status Conference. So what more can I say? I don't know whether this is
8 intentional, whether they're lagging behind intentionally, or whether
9 they have so much work to do that I'm not able to be provided with a
10 single document in the Serbian language before the Status Conference
11 dealing with matters that are going to be discussed at the Status
12 Conference.
13 So that's a general comment that I'd like to make, and a general
14 criticism. So please may the Registry provide me with documents in a
15 language I understand so that I can read them and discuss them, which
16 means that they need to be translated and to give to priority to those
17 documents for me, in view of the fact that I am going to defend myself or
18 to allow me to use the services of one of the translators of the
19 Tribunal, because a translator can tell me that this is going to happen
20 at such-and-such a time, on such-and-such a date. He can read it out to
21 me, and on all other urgent matters where you want my response, not for
22 me to have to wait for one month to have something translated, whereas
23 Article 21(4)(F) of the Statute provides that somebody who defends
24 himself be given free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot
25 understand or speak the language used in the international Tribunal.
Page 231
1 Thank you.
2 JUDGE PROST: Thank you, Mr. Tolimir. I'm quite certain if there
3 had been difficulties providing you with the translation that it is due
4 to your latter point, which is the considerable amount of material that
5 the Registry has to deal with, so -- but I will discuss that with the
6 Registry and try and ensure that you do get, for example, notification of
7 Status Conference, that material, as soon as possible in a translated
8 form.
9 I take it, then, that there are no additional issues for us to
10 discuss today. So, as I mentioned, we have now some filing deadlines.
11 We will have more after the next Status Conference. But for today, I
12 wish everyone a good evening, and we are adjourned.
13 --- Whereupon the Status Conference adjourned
14 at 3.33 p.m.
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