The Rule 98 bis Appeals Judgement in the case of Radovan Karadžić is scheduled to be rendered on Thursday, 11 July 2013 at 15:00 in Courtroom III.

On 11 June 2012, Karadžić moved for a judgement of acquittal pursuant to Rule 98 bis of the Rules on all Counts in the Indictment. At a hearing on 28 June 2012, the Trial Chamber entered a judgement of acquittal in relation to Count I of the Indictment. Count I of the Indictment alleges that Karadžić participated in a joint criminal enterprise, together with other members of the Serbian and Bosnian Serb leadership, to permanently remove Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 31 March 1992 and 31 December 1992 through a campaign of persecutions, which included conduct that demonstrated an intent to commit genocide.

The Trial Chamber found in this regard that there was “no evidence, even taken at its highest, which could be capable of supporting a conviction for genocide in the municipalities as charged under Article 4(3) of the Statute”.

The Office of the Prosecutor appealed the judgement of acquittal on 25 September 2012, after which the Appeals Chamber heard oral submissions regarding the appeal on 17 April 2013.

Rule 98 bis of the Tribunal’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence provides that at the close of the Prosecutor's case, the Trial Chamber shall, by oral decision, and after hearing the oral submissions of the parties, enter a judgement of acquittal on any count if there is no evidence capable of supporting a conviction.

Karadžić, who was the former President of Republika Srpska, head of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and Supreme Commander of the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS), is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995.

He was indicted on 25 July 1995 and was transferred to the Tribunal’s custody on 30 July 2008. His trial began on 26 October 2009. Karadžić commenced his case on 16 October 2012.