Evidence against Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic will be publicly displayed beginning on 27 June.

Press Release
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)

 
Evidence against Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic will be publicly displayed beginning on 27 June.

 

A public hearing under Rule 61 of the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure and Evidence in the case of Radovan KARADZIC and Ratko MLADIC will be held beginning on June 27 1996 at 10 a.m. before Trial Chamber I.

The hearing has been convened at the initiative of Judges Claude Jorda and Fouad Riad, who confirmed the indictments against the two accused on 25 July 1995 and 16 November 1995, respectively.

The judges considered that a reasonable time has elapsed since the indictments were served in accordance with Rule 61 (A). Consequently, they decided to ask the Prosecutor to publicly display the evidence supporting the indictments against the accused and to call witnesses to testify.

THE ACCUSED

Dr. Radovan KARADZIC was born on 19 July 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.

KARADZIC 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; and 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, which resulted 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 two 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 two accused on 16 counts:

1 count of genocide (Count 1 contrary to Articles 4 (2)(a), (b), (c) and 7 (3)).

3 counts of crimes against humanity (Count 2 contrary to articles 5 (h) and 7 (1) and 7 (3); Count 11 contrary to Articles 5 (a) and 7 (1) and 7 (3); and Count 12 contrary to Articles 5 (i) and 7 (1) and 7 (3)).

5 counts of grave breaches (Count 3 contrary to Articles 2 (g) and 7 (1) and (3); Count 7 contrary to Article 2 (d) and 7 (1) and (3); Count 8 contrary to Article 2 (d) and 7 (1) and (3); Count 13 contrary to Articles 2 (h) and 7 (1) and (3); and Count 15 contrary to Articles 2 (b) and 7 (1) and (3)) and

7 counts of violations of the laws and customs of war
(Counts 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14 and 16, contrary to Articles 3 and 7 (1) and (3)).

The Indictment of 16 November 1995 specifically charges the accused on 20 counts: 1 count of genocide (Count 1, contrary to Article 4 (2) (a));

10 counts of crimes against humanity (Count 1 contrary to Article 5 (b) and counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19, contrary to Article 5 (a)).

9 counts of violations of the laws and customs of war (Counts 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, contrary to Article 3 of the Statute).

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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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