Date: 22.04.2015
Time: 13:00 p.m.
Registry and Chambers
Nenad Golčevski, Acting Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
I’ll turn first to developments in the case of Goran Hadžić. On 13 April the Appeals Chamber granted the Appeal of the Accused and ordered his provisional release to Serbia. Hadžić began his provisional release on 15 April and is required to remain in the confines of the Municipality of Novi Sad. Among other conditions, Hadžić is to have no contact or interfere with victims or witnesses or interfere with the proceedings of the Tribunal or the administration of justice. He is required to return sometime in May for a further medical examination as specified in a confidential annex to the Appeals Chamber decision.
Next, in a public redacted version of a decision issued on 9 April 2015, the President of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals granted early release to Vinko Pandurević. The decision took into account that Pandurević had completed more than two thirds of his sentence and had demonstrated signs of rehabilitation. On 30 January 2015, Vinko Pandurević, a senior Bosnian Serbian military official was found guilty of aiding and abetting violations of the laws or customs of war and crimes against humanity following the takeover of the protected areas of Srebrenica and Žepa. He was also found guilty of failing to prevent and punish the crimes of his subordinates. His sentence of 13 years of imprisonment, handed down by the Trial Chamber on 10 June 2010 was affirmed by the Appeals Chamber.
Finally, in the case of Vojislav Šešelj, on 10 April the Trial Chamber, before ruling on the merit of revocation of the Accused’s provisional release, ordered the Registry to present an updated report on the medical condition of Vojislav Šešelj. In response, and also on 10 April, the Registry undertook to contact the Serbian doctors consulted by the Accused in October 2014 in order to assess whether they are currently responsible for the Accused’s care, and if so, whether the Accused consents to disclosure of information about his current health status. On 15 April, the Trial Chamber clarified that the Registry is not expected to obtain the Accused’s consent as a precondition of disclosing the medical team’s report. This is because this medical information is requested in the interests of justice in accordance with Rule 34(D) and (E) of the Rules Governing the Detention of Persons awaiting Trial or Appeal before the Tribunal.
Now turning to the Courtrooms, in the trial of Ratko Mladić, witness Grujo Borić, is now testifying via video-link. He was Commander of the 2nd Krajina Corps of the Republika Srpska Army during the relevant period. He is the 153rd witness for the Defence.
Finally, no hearings will be held this week and next in the case of Goran Hadžić.
Questions:
No questions were asked.