The appeal hearing in the Tribunal’s last and biggest-ever case before the Appeals Chamber is scheduled to begin on Monday, 20 March and conclude on Tuesday, 28 March 2017.
The case concerns six high-level leaders of the Bosnian Croat wartime entity Herceg-Bosna and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). Jadranko Prlić, Bruno Stojić, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoj Petković, Valentin Ćorić and Berislav Pušić were convicted by the Tribunal’s Trial Chamber III for crimes against humanity, violations of the laws or customs of war, and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions committed between 1992 and 1994.
The appeal hearing will begin with introductory remarks from the Presiding Judge on Monday, 20 March. The first six days of the hearing will be dedicated to the respective appeals of the Defence, followed on the last day with the appeal of the Prosecution. At the end of the hearing on Tuesday, 28 March, each of the six Defence Appellants will have the opportunity to make a personal address to the Appeals Chamber. The hearings are scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. each day, with a 9:00 a.m. start on the final day. All sessions will be held in Courtroom I of the Tribunal. For a full listing of the schedule please see the Order for the Preparation of the Appeal Hearing.
The Prlić et al. trial was one of the Tribunal’s largest and most complicated. Trial proceedings began on 26 April 2006. The Prosecution completed its case on 24 January 2008 after presenting the evidence of 249 witnesses, while the Defence cases commenced on 5 May 2008 and closed on 17 May 2010 after presentation of the evidence of 77 witnesses. The total number of trial days amounted to 465, with closing arguments heard between 7 February and 2 March 2011. The Trial Judgement, issued on 29 May 2013, comprises over 2,600 pages, including separate and partially dissenting opinions by Judges Antonetti and Trechsel.
The appeal hearing will be streamed with a 30 minute delay on the Tribunal’s website.
Press advisory |
The Hague |
07 March 2017