Date: 20.11.2013
Time: 12:30
Registry and Chambers:
Magdalena Spalińska, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
I will first highlight several developments in the Tribunal’s ongoing cases.
In the case of Vojislav Šešelj, the Trial Chamber last Wednesday issued a decision inviting the parties to submit their views on the continuation of proceedings. The Parties were invited to do this within 14 days of the publication of the B/C/S translation of the Decision filed on 15 November.
In the case of Radovan Karadžić, the Appeals Chamber last Wednesday denied the appeal of Zdravko Tolimir of the Trial Chamber’s decision of 9 May to issue a subpoena for him to testify as a defence witness in this trial. In reaching its decision, the Appeals Chamber concluded that the Karadžić Trial Chamber was ‘best positioned’ to determine whether a subpoena should be issued. The Appeals Chamber also rejected Tolimir’s arguments relating to his right not to testify to prevent self-incrimination, stating that any potentially self-incriminating information that could emerge during his testimony in the Karadzic case could not be used either directly or indirectly against him in his own case.
Now on to the courtrooms. In the case of Ratko Mladić the Chamber will resume hearing the testimony of Ewan Brown, a military expert witness. He is the 160th witness called by the Prosecution. This trial is not sitting today.
In the case of Radovan Karadžić, witness Momčilo Krajišnik, former Speaker of the BiH and Republika Srpska Assembly is giving testimony. The Defence has so far called 184 witnesses in this case.
Two judgements have been scheduled for January of next year. In the case of Nikola Šainović and others, the Appeals Judgement will be pronounced on 23 January at 9:30 in Courtroom III. The Appeals Judgement in the case of Vlastimir Đorđević will be pronounced on 27 January 2014 at 15:30 in Courtroom I.
On Monday the General Assembly elected Mr Koffi Kumelio Afande from Togo as a new permanent judge of the Tribunal. His mandate will run until 31 December 2013 or earlier, should the cases on which he will be sitting be completed prior to that date. Prior to his election, Judge Afande was working for Togo’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York and had been in this role since January 2012.
And finally, on Monday, 25 November, Tribunal President Theodor Meron is planning travel to the Prijedor area in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to visit the recently discovered mass grave in Tomašica and the site of the former Omarska detention camp. The President’s trip to the area is part of his visit to BiH to participate in a conference to mark the Tribunal’s Twentieth Anniversary in Sarajevo on 26 – 27 November 2013.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Margriet Prins, Special Adviser to the Prosecutor, made no statement.
Questions:
No questions were asked.