Date: 06.05.2009
Time: 12:00
Registry and Chambers:
Nerma Jelačić, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Further to yesterday’s verdict in the case of Mile Mrkšić and Veselin Šljivančanin, I can confirm that both accused have been accommodated in the UN Detention Unit until the Tribunal rules on the state in which they will serve the rest of their sentences.
On a matter relating to provisional release, Valentin Corić, one of the six Accused in the Prlić and others case, was granted provisional release for a maximum of seven weeks to undergo medical treatment in Zagreb. The request was filed confidentially and a redacted version of the decision was filed two days ago. Corić’s provisional release is subject to strict conditions, including 24h surveillance.
In terms of the ongoing court hearings, there is a Status Conference in the case of Radovan Karadžić today. Tomorrow morning there will be two Status Conferences for Vojislav Šešelj. The first one will be an administrative hearing in the main trial and the second one will be a regular Status Conference regarding his contempt case. Lastly, a Status Conference in the Stanišić and Simatović case has been scheduled to take place on 12 May ahead of the pre-trial conference. Both Accused returned to the Detention Unit on Monday.
As to the schedule in other ongoing cases:
In their submissions pursuant to rule 65ter filed on Monday, Ante Gotovina’s and Mladen Markač’s defence teams informed the Trial Chamber that they would each need to use about 100 hours for direct examination of their witnesses. The Trial Chamber has yet to rule on the hours that will be available to the defence.
The hearing in the Popović and others case adjourned yesterday until further notice. The trials of Prlić and others, Vlastimir Ðorđević and Momčilo Perišić will continue this week and next as scheduled.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Olga Kavran, Spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor, made the following statement:
As announced earlier, next Monday and Tuesday, Prosecutor Brammertz will be in Belgrade. This will be the second of his planned working visits to the region of the former Yugoslavia in preparation for the biannual report before the Security Council which is scheduled for June.
The Prosecutor will meet with representatives of the Serbian authorities at the operational and political level to discuss issues related to cooperation of Serbia with the Office of the Prosecutor and other matters related to the Tribunal’s Completion Strategy.
Questions:
Asked for an update regarding the appeals proceedings in the Milutinović and others case, Nerma Jelačić responded that notices of appeal have to be filed by end of May. Olga Kavran confirmed that the Prosecutor is intending to file an appeal.
Asked whether the Tribunal could provide a comment on yesterday’s judgement in the Mrkšić and others case specifically in light of Judge Pocar’s dissenting opinion, Nerma Jelačić responded that this judgement is welcomed as another step towards the successful completion of the Tribunal’s mandate, with cases now concluded against 119 individuals. Nerma Jelačić referred the journalist to Judge Pocar’s dissenting opinion where the detailed reasoning can be found.
Asked whether the Prosecutor will be visiting Croatia, Olga Kavran responded that the Prosecutor will be visiting Croatia in the course of this month and that the dates will be announced as soon as all the details of the visit are confirmed.