Date: 26.04.2012
Time: 12:30
Registry and Chambers:
Nerma Jelačić, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
Last Tuesday, the Tribunal’s President, Judge Theodor Meron, presided over the official swearing-in of the ICTY judges who have been elected Judges of the International Residual Mechanism. Following the swearing in of President Meron, Judges Agius, Antonetti, Flügge, Hall, Liu Daqun, Moloto, Nyambe, Orie, and Robinson were each sworn in by Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism, Mr. John Hocking.
Turning to recent developments in the ongoing cases:
A Pre-Trial Conference was held last Tuesday in the case of Ratko Mladić at which the Chamber announced that the Prosecution’s Opening Statement would be held on Wednesday, 16 and Thursday, 17 May. The Prosecution will have a total of six hours to present its Opening Statement. The Pre-Trial Conference will resume next Thursday, 3 May at 9:00 in Courtroom I. Journalists will be informed in due course of the accreditation procedure to attend the Opening Statement.
The appeals hearing in the case of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač is still scheduled to be held on Monday, 14 May at 9:00 in Courtroom I. It will be followed by a Status Conference on Wednesday, 23 May at 15:00 in Courtroom III.
In the Stanišić and Župljanin case, yesterday the Chamber granted in part the Prosecution's motion to postpone the filing of its final brief and to delay the closing arguments. The Chamber ordered that the Prosecution’s and Defence’s briefs be filed by Monday, 14 May and that the closing arguments be held from Tuesday, 29 May to Friday, 1 June 2012. Each party will have 6 hours for their closing arguments.
In the case of Ramush Haradinaj and others, the Prosecution officially closed its case on Friday, 20 April 2012. The accused are requested to inform the Chamber by Friday, 27 April whether they will file a motion for acquittal in accordance with Rule 98bis of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. They should also inform the Chamber whether they intend to present a defence case. A Status Conference is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 2 May 2012 at 14:15 in Courtroom III to discuss scheduling matters further.
Proceedings in the trial of Radovan Karadžić continue this week and next as scheduled. The Trial Chamber is currently hearing the testimony of expert demographer Ewa Tabeau. Prosecution is expected to call two more witnesses: Serbian journalist Zoran Petrović – Piroćanac and protected witness KDZ-071.
Hearings in the case of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović will resume next Tuesday, 1 May at 14:15 in Courtroom II with the Defence case of Franko Simatović.
Turning to the recent activities organised by the Tribunal’s Outreach programme:
This week the Outreach programme organised the premiere of its feature-length documentary "Sexual Violence and the Triumph of Justice" in Belgrade and Novi Sad in Serbia. The events were attended by a total of 100 guests, including journalists, students, government and NGO representatives. The screenings were followed by a round table discussion with the audience, addressing issues pertaining to the prosecution and adjudication of sexual violence by local Serbian courts, the rights of victims and the obligation of states in securing these.
Finally, please note that the Tribunal will be closed on Monday, 30 April for the Dutch national holiday marking Queen’s Day.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Aleksandar Kontić, member of the Prosecutor’s Immediate Office, made no statement.
Questions:
No questions were asked.
*****
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
For more information, please contact our Media Office in The Hague
Tel.: +31-70-512-8752; 512-5343; 512-5356; Email: press [at] icty.org ()
Follow ICTY on Twitter and Youtube