Vojislav Šešelj Contempt Trial to Begin 22 February 2011

Press Advisory
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)

The Hague, 17 February 2011
MOW/PA415

Vojislav Šešelj Contempt Trial to Begin 22 February 2011

Vojislav Šešelj

The contempt of court trial of Vojislav Šešelj, the leader of the Serb Radical Party, will begin on Tuesday, 22 February at 09:00 in Courtroom I. 

Šešelj is already on trial before the Tribunal for alleged war crimes committed between 1991 and 1994 against the non-Serb population from large parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Vojvodina, Serbia.

The contempt of court charges Šešelj faces concern the alleged breach of protection measures ordered by the Tribunal after he disclosed information about 11 protected witnesses, including their names, occupations and places of residence, in a book he authored.   

This is the second time Šešelj faces charges of contempt for disclosing information on protected witnesses. On 19 May 2010, the Appeals Chamber affirmed his sentence of 15 months’ of imprisonment for disclosing the name and other personal details of protected witnesses in another book he authored.

The Trial Chamber issued its Order in lieu of a contempt indictment on 4 February 2010. The initial appearance was held on 29 April 2010. The Trial Chamber entered a plea of not guilty on Šešelj’s behalf at the further appearance on 6 May 2010.  

The Tribunal regards the integrity of witnesses and confidential materials as essential elements in the rule of law. Several persons who have attempted to interfere with the judicial process by revealing confidential information have been prosecuted.

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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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