Date: 02.09.2009
Time: 12:00
Registry and Chambers:
Christian Chartier, acting Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good morning,
The Tribunal’s Registrar, John Hocking, was in Sarajevo yesterday to deliver a key-note address at the very first workshop of the conference "Judicial Transparency and Media responsibility".
The conference is organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). It brings together key actors from the judiciary, media and NGOs from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia.
The Registrar said that the conference's topic is "of great importance, not only for the future of the rule of law in the region, but also for the advancement and empowerment of the notion of international criminal justice. The work of media and non-governmental organisations such as BIRN has had a great impact on the visibility and understanding of the proceedings before the ICTY. More importantly, they continue to bring to the public eye the commendable progress of our fellow courts in the region – sending a clear message that it is possible to cast an analytical, as well as critical, eye on the work of the judiciary, while upholding the principles of objectivity and accountability."
The conference continues today and tomorrow with the participation of a number of ICTY representatives: Senior Legal Officer Wayde Pittman, Spokespersons Nerma Jelačić and Olga Kavran, and Liaison Officer Refik Hodžić moderating or participating in workshops and roundtable meetings.
This afternoon, Judges Guy Delvoie (Belgium), Howard Morrison (United Kingdom) and Sir Burton Hall (The Bahamas) will be sworn in as new permanent judges. A Press Release will be issued shortly after the ceremony with further details as to the background of each new Judge.
I would like to draw your attention to two decisions made by the President over the past days regarding the composition of the Chambers:
Judge O-Gon Kwon has been assigned to replace Judge Bonomy in the Karadžić case.
Last Thursday, the President assigned Judges Güney, Pocar, Vaz, Meron, and Flügge to the Šešelj contempt of court case following Šešelj’s notice of appeal which he filed confidentially on 18 august 2009.
On a separate issue, the Treasury Unit of the Tribunal confirmed last Wednesday receipt of the full amount of the 7,000 euro fine imposed by Trial Chamber I on Baton Haxhiu. Haxhiu was found guilty of contempt of the Tribunal on 24 July 2008 for having revealed information about a witness who testified under protective measures during the trial of Ramush Haradinaj and others.
As to the courtroom schedule for this week and next:
In the Popović and others case, closing arguments started this morning at 9:00 in Courtroom III, and are expected to last two more weeks.
The Ðorđević case will go into a two week recess after this morning’s hearing and will resume on Tuesday 22 September at 14:15 in Courtroom I.
Hearings in the case of Momčilo Perišić resume today at 14:30 in Courtroom I and will continue on Monday 7 September, at 14:15 in Courtroom II.
A pre-trial conference will be held this Friday in the case of Mico Stanišić and Stojan Župljanin in Courtroom I from 14:15 to 19:00. Mićo Stanišić returned from provisional release on Monday, as he had been ordered to do, and both Accused will be present. The trial is due to start on 14 September 2009 with the Prosecution’s opening statements.
Added after the briefing: Please note that next week’s hearings in the Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović case have been cancelled.
Hearings in the trial of Gotovina and others have been cancelled for the remainder of the week and will resume on Monday 7 September at 9:00 in Courtroom I.
The trial of Prlić and others will continue this week and next as scheduled.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Olga Kavran, Spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor, was not present.
Questions:
A journalist asked whether the replacement of Judge Bonomy by Judge Kwon meant that Judge Kwon was the new Presiding Judge in the Karadžić case. Christian Chartier answered that the Order does not assign the Presiding Judge in the Karadžić case. As a result of this Order, the Karadžić bench is now composed of Judges Kwon, Picard and Flügge. Christian Chartier added that following today’s swearing-in ceremony, Judge Bonomy will also be replaced as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber III. The new Presiding Judge will in turn decide on the assignment of a new pre-trial Judge.
Asked whether there is a tradition that Pre-Trial Judge in a case also presides over the trial, Christian Chartier responded that the word “tradition” is not the most appropriate and that there is no such rule.
Asked whether a new Lead Defence Counsel has been appointed to defend Frank Simatović following the death of Zoran Jovanović, Christian Chartier responded that he was not aware of any such appointment.
A journalist asked for information regarding the use by the Tribunal of the money raised from the fines handed down in contempt case judgements. Christian Chartier responded that fines are returned to the ICTY’s budget. So far, fines have been imposed on seven Accused, in six different contempt cases. Christian Chartier confirmed that all fines have been paid, totaling up to 70.000€.
Asked whether the Prosecution’s final trial brief has been filed in Popović and others case, Christian Chartier answered that he would check on that. Added after the briefing: All final trial briefs were filed confidentially on 30 July 2009, including that of Prosecution.