Date: 22.1.2014
Time: 12:30
Registry and Chambers:
Magdalena Spalińska, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
The Tribunal will be busy with several activities in the coming week.
Tomorrow, the pronouncement of the Appeal Chamber judgment for the Šainovic and others case will start at 9:30 in courtroom III. The accused Nikola Šainović, Nebojša Pavković, Sreten Lukić, and Vladimir Lazarević are four former high-ranking Yugoslav and Serbian political, military and police officials convicted by the Trial Chamber in 2009 for crimes committed against Kosovo Albanians in 1999.
On Monday 27 January, the Appeal Chamber judgment for Vlastimir Đorđević will be rendered at 15:30 in courtroom I. Đorđević, Assistant Minister of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs and Chief of its Public Security Department at the relevant time, was convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against Kosovo Albanian civilians in 1999. He was sentenced by the Trial Chamber to 27 years’ imprisonment.
Also on Monday 27 January, the Tribunal’s Staff Union will mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day by honoring the heroic efforts of men and women from the Balkans who risked their lives to save Jews from certain death during WWII. In the Tribunals’ main lobby, there will be a display with stories and photos illustrating acts of courage by all ethnicities from across the former Yugoslavia. In addition, in the evening, the Tribunal will host an event where three Holocaust survivors from the Balkans will speak of their experiences during the war.
I will now highlight the latest case developments.
In the Prlić and others case, the Registry on Monday submitted a request for the Appeals Chamber to order Slobodan Praljak to reimburse the Tribunal in the amount of 2,807,611.10 euros for his Defence costs before the Tribunal. Praljak did not respond to the Registry's correspondence from December 2013, where an itemised specification of the costs was provided to him, following which the Registry now turns to the Appeals Chamber.
In the courtroom, in the case of Radovan Karadžić, witness Čedo Šipovac, former municipal official in Prijedor, has just completed his testimony. The Defence has so far called 216 witnesses in this case. The next scheduled witness today is Miladin Nedić, member of the SDS Main Board during the relevant period.
As a reminder for the media, accreditation is now open until Friday at 12:00 noon to attend the Karadžić hearing on Tuesday, 28 January in which Ratko Mladić is expected to commence his testimony.
Office of the Prosecutor:
No representative was present from the Office of the Prosecutor.
Questions:
A journalist asked if there were any outstanding appeals that could prevent Mladić from testifying in the Karadzic case next week. Spalińska answered that there was a request for reconsideration still pending from his Defence team filed before both the Karadžić and Mladić trial chambers. She added that the Prosecution has also filed a response.
Asked if Mladić testifies how much of his testimony will be in open session and would he be able to object to certain questions being asked, Spalińska said that at the moment it was not clear if the entire testimony will be in open or closed session and that this was for Trial Chamber to decide. Spalińska added that according to the Principle of Fair Trial, the accused is not compelled to testify against himself.
Asked if there was any information regarding the decision in the Hadžić Rule 98bis motion, Spalińska said that it was still pending and will be rendered in due course.