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| The Press Briefing can be viewed on the ICTY YouTube channel |
Date: 13.4.2011
Time: 12:00
Registry and Chambers:
Nerma Jelačić, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
Trial Chamber I will render its judgement in the case of Ante Gotovina, Ivan Čermak and Mladen Markač this Friday at 11 am in Courtroom I. The three Croatian Generals are accused of having participated in a Joint Criminal Enterprise throughout Operation Storm, the intention of which was to forcibly and permanently remove the ethnic Serb population from the Krajina region of Croatia. Operation Storm and follow-up actions lasted from 4 August to 15 November 1995. The trial commenced on 11 March 2008. Closing arguments were held from 30 August until 1 September 2010, during which Prosecution recommended that the Chamber sentence Gotovina to 27 years’, Markač to 23 years’ and Čermak to 17 years’ imprisonment. The Defence asked for all three to be acquitted. The trial lasted a total of 303 days during which 4,819 exhibits were admitted. The Trial Chamber heard the testimony of a total of 145 witnesses of which 81 witnesses were called by the Prosecution, 57 by the Defence and seven by the Chamber itself.
In the case of Jovica Stanišić & Franko Simatović, Simatović’s Defence and the Prosecution concluded yesterday their submissions in relation to Rule 98bis of the Tribunal’s Rule of Procedure and Evidence. Rule 98 bis provides that accused may file a motion for a judgement of acquittal on one or more offences charged in the indictment after the close of the Prosecutor’s case. After hearing the oral submissions of the parties, the Trial Chamber can enter a judgement of acquittal on any count if it finds that the evidence presented by the Prosecution is insufficient to support a conviction. The Rule 98bis Decision is expected to be rendered on Thursday, 5 May, at 9 am in Courtroom I.
In the case of Mićo Stanišić and Stojan Župljanin, the Defence of Mićo Stanišić made its Opening Statements on Monday and called its first witness yesterday. Andrija Bjelosević has been working for the Ministry of the Interior of Republika Srpska since 1991. His testimony is ongoing.
In the trial of Zdravko Tolimir, the Chamber is currently hearing the testimony of Zoran Čarkić, who is the 99th witness to be called by the Prosecution.
Turning to the latest activities of the Tribunal as part of the War Crimes Justice Project:
On Monday, the Tribunal delivered approximately 2,000 pages of transcripts produced in local languages to the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The provision of transcripts in the local languages is expected to improve the ability of these practitioners to access and use the testimonies of witnesses given before the ICTY. Since the launch of the Project, the Tribunal has delivered 9,000 pages of B/C/S public trial transcripts to the authorities in Croatia, Serbia and BiH. The next delivery of transcripts to the region is expected to take place on 30 May 2011.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Aleksandar Kontić, member of the Prosecutor’s Immediate Office, made no statement.
Questions:
No questions were asked.