Date: 30.01.2013
Time: 12:00
Registry and Chambers:
Magdalena Spalińska, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
Yesterday, the Appeals Chamber denied Radovan Karadžić’s appeal of the Trial Chamber’s decision to allocate 300 hours for his defence case. The Appeals Chamber found, Judge Robinson dissenting, that Karadžić had not demonstrated that 300 hours was an objectively inadequate amount of time for the defence. The Appeals Chamber also stressed that while the Trial Chamber is required to allocate sufficient time for the Accused to present his defence, it also has an obligation to ensure that proceedings do not suffer undue delays. The Appeals Chamber also pointed out that considering that the Prosecution bears the burden of proof, an allocation of time reasonably proportional to that granted to the Prosecution will often result in less time being granted to the Defence for the presentation of its case. In this case, both parties have been granted an equal amount of time. The decision is available online.
On Monday, Dragoljub Ojdanić, former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) and one of five accused in the Šainović and others appeals case, withdrew his appeal against the Judgement of the Trial Chamber. His Defence Counsel informed the Appeals Chamber that he had reached his decision based in part upon his advanced age and his medical condition. It added that Ojdanić accepted the findings of the Trial Chamber’s Judgement and that he expressed his regret to all of those who suffered as a result of the conduct for which he had been convicted. Having taken note of Ojdanić’s reasons for withdrawing his appeal, the Prosecution also withdrew its appeal against the Judgement insofar as it concerns Ojdanić.
On 26 February 2009, Ojdanić was found guilty of aiding and abetting the deportation and forcible transfer of the ethnic Albanian population of Kosovo in 1999. He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. The appeal hearing in the case has been scheduled to be held from Monday 11 March through to Tuesday, 19 March.
Turning to the activities in the courtrooms:
The closing arguments in the case of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović started yesterday afternoon. The Prosecution has concluded its closing arguments asking for life imprisonment for both accused. The Defence’s closing arguments should commence this afternoon at 14:15 in Courtroom III.
Proceedings in the trials of Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić this week and next as scheduled:
In the trial of Radovan Karadžić, the Chamber is currently hearing the testimony of Tomislav Hršum, former police official in Pale. He is the 65th witness to be called by the Defence.
In the case of Ratko Mladić, witness RM-120, a former UNPROFOR member in Sarajevo, is testifying. He is the 66th witness to be called by the Prosecution.
The hearings in the case of Goran Hadžić should resume on 4 February 2013 at 09:00 in courtroom 2.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Aleksandar Kontić, member of the Prosecutor's Immediate Office, made no statement.
Questions:
No questions were asked.
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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