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ICTY Weekly Press Briefing - 13th Apr 2005

ICTY Weekly Press Briefing

Please
note that this is not a verbatim transcript of the Press Briefing.
It is merely a summary.


ICTY Weekly Press Briefing

Date: 13.04.2005

Time: 12.15 p.m.



 


Registry and Chambers:

Jim Landale, Spokesman for Registry and Chambers, made the
following statement:



Good afternoon,



Next week the President of the Tribunal, Judge
Theodor Meron, will be the keynote speaker at a Chatham House conference
co-organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
and the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law of the University
of Cambridge, which will launch the three-volume ICRC study of customary
rules of international humanitarian law.


You will have seen at the initial appearance of
Milorad Trbic earlier this morning that the accused exercised his
right not to enter a plea today but within 30 days, as the Rules
permit. We will inform you of a time and date for his further initial
appearance in due course.


This morning also saw the further initial appearance
of Ljubisa Beara, at which Beara entered not guilty pleas to the
seven counts in the indictment against him. Beara has been charged
by the Tribunal with genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, crimes
against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war for
his individual criminal responsibility for the mass murder of Bosnian
Muslims after the fall of the Srebrenica enclave in July 1995.


You will also have noted from our press release
on the matter yesterday that Ranko Cesic was transferred to Denmark
to serve his 18-year prison sentence. This is the first person convicted
and sentenced by the ICTY to serve his sentence in Denmark. Cesic
pleaded guilty to 12 counts of crimes against humanity and violations
of the laws or customs of war on 8 October 2003.


The trial of Beqa Beqaj on charges of contempt,
attempted contempt, and incitement to contempt of the Tribunal will
commence on Monday 25 April at 2.15 p.m. in Courtroom I. There will
be a pre-trial conference on Friday 22 April at 2.15 p.m. in Courtroom
III.


An indictment against Beqa Beqai was confirmed
on 29 October 2004 by Judge Agius. The indictment alleges that Beqa
Beqaj is a relative of Isak Musliu, currently on trial at the Tribunal
alongside Fatmir Limaj and Haradin Bala.


The indictment against Beqa Beqaj states that "From
on or about 17 February 2003 through to on or about 19 October 2004,
Beqa Beqaj individually and in concert with others (…), knowingly
and willfully interfered with the administration of justice by threatening,
intimidating, offering a bribe to or otherwise interfered with witnesses
or potential witnesses…
" in the Limaj & al. case.


A reminder that there will be status conference
in The Prosecutor v. Slobodan Milosevic tomorrow starting
at 8 a.m. in Courtroom I to review the progress of the Defence case.


There will be a hearing in The Prosecutor v.
Vladimir Kovacevic
this afternoon starting at 2.15 p.m. in Courtroom
III to discuss the accused’s medical condition and "the
possible courses of action to be taken with regard to the plea of
the Accused and his trial, also in view of parallel proceedings
in this case before the Chamber specially appointed to decide on
the Prosecution’s motion filed pursuant to Rule 11bis to defer this
case to national authorities
". You will recall that Vladimir
Kovacevic is on provisional release due to his medical condition.
He is not required to be present at the hearing.


The further initial appearance of Gojko Jankovic
has been scheuduled for this Friday 15 April at 9 a.m. in Courtroom
III.


The further initial appearance of Radivoje Miletic
has been scheuduled for this Friday 15 April at 2.15 p.m. in Courtroom
I.


The further initial appearance of Johan Tarculovski
has been scheuduled for Monday 18 April at 2.15 p.m. in Courtroom
III.


The appeal hearing in The Prosecutor v. Milan
Babic
has been scheduled for Monday 25 April 2005, starting
at 10 a.m. in Courtroom III.


The appeal hearing in The Prosecutor v. Miodrag
Jokic
has been scheduled for 26 April, starting at 9.30 a.m.
in Courtroom III.


Next week, as is now customary, six trials will
be held in our three courtrooms. To remind you those trials are
the Krajisnik, Milosevic, Oric, Limaj and others, Hadzihasanovic
and Kubura, and Halilovic trials.


Office of the Prosecutor:


Florence Hartmann for the Office of the Prosecutor
made no statement:


Questions:


Asked by a journalist whether once Vujadin Popovic
was transferred to the Detention Unit tomorrow, as promised, this
would be the last remaining Srebrenica indictee on the run, except
for Karadzic and Mladic, Landale replied that this was not the case
since Zdravko Tolimir was still at large.


Asked whether the number of indictees at large
was 13 at this moment, Hartmann and Landale replied that this was
correct.


Asked to comment on claims in the Serbian press
about a fight between Sljivancanin and Sreten Lukic in the Detention
Unit, Landale replied that to his knowledge there was no truth in
this report.


A journalist asked what a review of progress
in the Defence case in the Milosevic trial, which was taking place
tomorrow, might entail. Landale replied that this was a matter for
the Judges, but said that the Judges most likely would take stock
of how Mr. Milosevic had used the 150 days that had been given to
him to present his defence case, bearing in mind that this case
involved three indictments.


Documents:


The Prosecutor v. Vladimir Kovacevic

9 April 2005 – Scheduling Order.


The Prosecutor v. Beqa Beqaj

7 April 2005 – Decision on Prosecution’s Motion For Admission
Of transcript Pursuant To Rule 92 bis.

7 April 2005 – Scheduling Order For Pre-Trial Conference And Commencement
Of Trial.

7 April 2005 – Order terminating The Provisional Release Of Beqa
Beqaj.

11 April 2005 – Motion To Re-Examine The Order Terminating The Provisional
Release Of Beqa Beqaj.


The Prosecutor v. Vojislav Seselj

5 April 2005 – Prosecution’s Response To ‘Request Of The
Accused For Trial Chamber II To Issue A Binding Order Under Pain
Of Sanction (Supoena) Pursuant To Rule 54 Of The Rules Of Procedure
And Evidence’ (Submission No. 77) With Confidential Annexes.


5 April 2005 – Prosecution’s Response To "Motion
By The Accused For Trial Chamber II To Issue A Supoena Pursant To
Rule 54 Of The Rules Of Procedure And Evidence."


5 April 2005 – Prosecution’s Response To ‘Request
Of The Accused For Trial Chamber II To Issue A Binding Order Under
Pain Of Sanction (Supoena) Pursuant To Rule 54 Of The Rules Of Procedure
And Evidence’ (Submission No. 79)


The Prosecutor v. Haradinaj, Balaj, and Brahimaj

7 April 2005 – Prosecution Motion For Pre-Trial Protective
Measures For Witnesses.


The Prosecutor v. Momcilo Krajisnik

8 April 2005 - Motion To File Reply To Prosecution’s Response
To Appeal Brief Pursuant To Rule 127 Of The Rules Of Procedure And
Evidence.


8 April 2005 – Prosecution’s Motion To Call Two
New Viva Voce Witnesses.


8 April 2005 – Defence Response To Prosecution’s
Motion For Protective measures In Relation To KRAJ 128, KRAJ 114,
and KRAJ 012.


The Prosecutor v. Slobodan Milosevic

8 April 2005 – Order On Prosecution Motion On The Recording
Of the Use Of Time During The Defence Case.


The Prosecutor v. Sefer Halilovic

8 April 2005 – Motion For prosecution Access To Defence
Documents Used In Cross-Examination Of Prosecution Witnesses.


The Prosecutor v. Milan Martic

11 April 2005 – Defence’s Request For Leave To File Reply
To Prosecution’s Response And Reply.


The Prosecutor v. Milutinovic et al and Pavkovic
et al.

8 April 2005 – Response By Mr Milan Milutinovic To The Prosecution
Motion For Joinder.


7 April 2005 – Letter From The Embassy of Serbia
and Montenegro.


11 April 2005 – General Ojdanic’s Response To Prosecution
Motion For Joinder.


11 April 2005 – Defence Preliminary Motion.


The Prosecutor v. Prlic et al.

11 April 2005 – Power of Attorney (Prlic).


The Prosecutor v. Momcilo Gruban

11 April 2005 – Power of Attorney.


The Prosecutor v. Momcilo Perisic

8 April 2005 – Application For Order Regarding Service of
Supporting Material By The Prosecutor.



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