| Press Release |
TRIBUNAL
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| (Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document) |
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The Hague, 26 June 1996
CC/PIO/092-E
Evidence Hearing Against Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić
The public hearing under Rule 61 of the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure and Evidence in the case of Radovan KARADZIC and Ratko MLADIC will begin on 27 June 1996 at 10 a.m. before Trial Chamber I.
The hearing is expected to last seven full days, until 5 July 1996.
This hearing has been convened at the initiative of Judges Claude Jorda and Fouad Riad, who confirmed the indictments of 25 July 1995 and 16 November 1995 against both men and who considered that a reasonable time had elapsed since the indictments were served. Consequently, they asked the Prosecutor to publicly display the evidence supporting the charges.
The Prosecutor will call a dozen witnesses, including expert, policy and eyewitnesses.
THE PURPOSES
Apart from the legal aspects of the Rule 61 proceeding (see attached), the purposes of this hearing are: To enable the voices of victims of the alleged crimes to be heard in a public, international forum. In this case, these victims will represent the civilian population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the city of Sarajevo, and the "safe area" of Srebrenica. To demonstrate that the accused are charged with serious crimes which by their nature must be judged by an independent and impartial judicial body, namely the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Should the accused wish to clear their names, to see their futures not dominated by these indictments and their potential status as fugitives from international justice, they must appear before the Tribunal. Finally, to remind the international community that removing the accused from power is but one step on a road which must lead to the Hague. These proceedings command the arrest of the accused, so that trials may be held and justice be served.
The Accused Dr. Radovan KARADZIC was born on 19 June 1945 in the municipality of Savnik in the Republic of Montenegro. Since about 13 May 1992 he has been president of the Bosnian Serb administration based in Pale, which became the entity referred to as "Republika Srpska" in the Dayton Agreement. He is also the founder and president of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) of what was then the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. General Ratko MLADIC was born on 12 March 1943 in the municipality of Kalinovik in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A former commander of the JNA, since 14 March 1992 he has been the commander of the Bosnian Serb army.
THE INDICTMENTS The Indictment of 25 July 1995 charges the accused with genocide, crimes against humanity, grave breaches and violations of the laws and customs of war for atrocities committed against the civilian population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including persecution on religious, national or political grounds; internment; deportation; shelling of civilian gatherings; murder; rape; sexual assault; torture; beatings; the targeting of political leaders, intellectuals and professionals; pillage; the destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship; a sniping campaign against the civilian population of Sarajevo between 5 May 1992 and 31 May 1995, resulting in the death of or injury to many persons, including women, children and the elderly; and the taking hostage of UN peacekeepers and their use as human shields between 26 May and 2 June 1995. The Indictment of 16 November 1995 charges the accused with genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war relating to the take-over of the predominantly Muslim town of Srebrenica in July 1995 by the Bosnian Serb army and the summary execution of thousands of its inhabitants. The acts with which the accused are charged include the shelling of the town despite its having been designated a "safe area" by the UN Security Council; looting and destruction of civilian property; deportations; and summary executions on a massive scale.
THE CHARGES The Indictment of 25 July 1995 specifically charges the accused on 16 counts: genocide (1 count); crimes against humanity (3 counts); grave breaches (5 counts); and violations of the laws and customs of war (7 counts).
The Indictment of 16 November 1995 specifically charges the accused on 20 counts: genocide (1 count); crimes against humanity (10 counts); and violations of the laws and customs of war (9 counts).
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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