| Press Release |
TRIAL CHAMBER |
| (Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document) |
|
The Hague, 12 April 2002
JL/P.I.S./670e
Milomir Stakic trial to begin on Tuesday 16 April 2002
The Trial of Milomir Stakic is scheduled to begin on Tuesday 16 April 2002 at 9.00 a.m. in Courtroom III and will continue on 18 April 2002 in Courtroom II. The Trial Chamber shall be composed of Judge Wolfgang Schomburg (Presiding), Judge Mohamed Fassi Fihri and Judge Volodymyr Vassylenko.
BACKGROUND ON THE ACCUSED
Milomir Stakic was born on 19 January 1962 in Maricka in the Prijedor Municipality of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is a medical doctor by profession.
Factual allegations
It is alleged that, on 30 April 1992, police and army forces seized physical control of the town of Prijedor. Following the forcible take-over, the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) Crisis Staff imposed severe restrictions on non-Serbs, principally Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats. Beginning in May 1992, the areas where Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats were contained were subjected to violent, large-scale attacks by Bosnian Serb forces. Many Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats who survived the attacks were arrested and transferred to detention facilities around Prijedor Municipality established and operated under the direction of the Crisis Staff. In the detention facilities, many prisoners were tortured, killed, and subjected to other inhumane treatment by Bosnian Serb forces or persons under their control, especially targeting prominent individuals, such as intellectual, professional, business, political and religious leaders. From May to August 1992, hundreds of detainees died.
On 30 April 1992, after the SDS seized power in Prijedor, Milomir Stakic became President of the Municipal Assembly and Head of the Prijedor Municipal Council for National Defence. On 20 May 1992, he was officially appointed President of the Municipality Crisis Staff.
Charges
Milomir Stakic is charged on the basis of individual criminal responsibility (Article 7(1) of the Statute) and superior criminal responsibility (Article 7(3) thereof) with:
- Two counts of genocide (Article 4 of the Statute - genocide or alternatively complicity in genocide);
- Five counts of crimes against humanity (Article 5 of the Statute - murder; extermination; persecutions; deportation; inhumane acts);
- One count of violation of the laws or customs of war (Article 3 of the Statute - murder).
Milomir Stakic
- Date of Arrest: 23 March 2001 (Serbia)
- Transferred to ICTY: 23 March 2001
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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