Page 2362
1 Tuesday, 17 April 2012
2 [Open session]
3 [The accused entered court]
4 (redacted)
5 JUDGE MOLOTO: Good morning to everybody in and around the
6 courtroom.
7 Could we have the appearances for today, please, starting again
8 with the Prosecution.
9 MR. ROGERS: Yes, Your Honours. Good morning. Paul Rogers and
10 Aditya Menon in the remote location appearing on behalf of the
11 Prosecution; and in The Hague, Ms. Kravetz, Ms. Gopalan, Ms. Goy, and our
12 Case Manager, Ms. Line Pedersen.
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Mr. Rogers.
14 And for the Defence of Mr. Haradinaj.
15 MR. EMMERSON: Your Honour, Ben Emmerson for Ramush Haradinaj,
16 together with Rodney Dixon, Annie O'Reilly, and Andrew Strong; and in
17 The Hague, Ms. Kerrie Rowan.
18 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Mr. Emmerson.
19 And for Mr. Balaj.
20 MR. GUY-SMITH: Good morning, Your Honours. Gregor Guy-Smith,
21 Colleen Rohan on behalf of Mr. Idriz Balaj; and appearing in The Hague,
22 Holly Buchanan and Idriz -- I'm sorry, and Gentian Zyberi.
23 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much, Mr. Guy-Smith.
24 And for Mr. Brahimaj.
25 MR. HARVEY: Good morning, Your Honours. Richard Harvey and
Page 2363
1 Luke Boenisch here in the remote location; and in The Hague, Paul Troop,
2 assisted by Sylvie Kinabo. Thank you.
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Okay. Thank you so much, Mr. Harvey.
4 Before we call the witness in, just two little items on
5 housekeeping. One, there is an appeal, once again, to make sure that we
6 don't overlap as we speak, particularly because we are on a
7 video-conference link and it makes it very difficult for those who are
8 doing -- taking the record to do their job efficiently. So we know that
9 we do get heated at some stages, but let's try to remember not to
10 overlap. That's the first point.
11 Second point: We -- the Chamber is concerned that we finish with
12 this witness this week. And to that extent, we'd like to suggest to the
13 parties that, Mr. Rogers, if you could finish your examination-in-chief
14 today.
15 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, I anticipate that will be possible. I
16 hope. But I anticipate, yes.
17 JUDGE MOLOTO: And then maybe the Defence can have the next two
18 days of cross-examination and we can have re-examination on the morning
19 of Friday to finish off.
20 MR. EMMERSON: I think -- we've had an opportunity to discuss it
21 amongst ourselves, on this side of the room. I think our general view is
22 that we may be able to shorten the estimate that I gave to Your Honours
23 yesterday, but that it is more than likely that we will ask you for a
24 short period of consultation at the conclusion of evidence in-chief if it
25 concludes before the end of today. And that between the three of us, we
Page 2364
1 ought to be able to finish in just a little over two days, so it may take
2 us into Friday, but leaving sufficient time for Mr. Rogers to re-examine.
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Mr. Emmerson.
4 May the Chamber please move into closed session.
5 [Closed session]
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted)
12 [Open session]
13 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
14 session.
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.
16 Good morning, Mr. Witness.
17 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Good morning.
18 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.
19 Just to remind you that you're still bound by the declaration you
20 made at the beginning of your testimony to tell the truth, the whole
21 truth, and nothing else but the truth. Remember?
22 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes.
23 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much.
24 Mr. Rogers.
25 WITNESS: 80 [Resumed]
Page 2365
1 [Witness answered through interpreter]
2 Examination by Mr. Rogers: [Continued]
3 Q. Mr. Witness, yesterday at the conclusion of the proceedings we
4 were speaking about a man called Skender Kuqi, and you were telling us
5 that you saw him -- I'm looking at page 94 of the transcript, the draft
6 transcript. I haven't seen a revised version, but the one I have at
7 line 21, Witness, the answer you gave recorded you as saying:
8 "I was there until I saw him dead. They said he isn't dead. But
9 from what I saw, he was dead there, as a result of the beatings. He died
10 there and they took him to hospital, dragged him and put him to hospital,
11 but he was dead before that."
12 Mr. Witness, I wanted to ask you about the hospital part. How --
13 how -- can you help us, please, with how it was that he came to go to
14 hospital? What gave rise to that?
15 A. It was because of the beating. He was beaten severely. And in
16 my opinion, he was dead already. He was not very close to me for me to
17 ascertain it, but I thought that he was dead already.
18 Q. How did you know that he was going to go to a hospital? How did
19 you come to know about that?
20 A. It was said there that he has to be taken to hospital.
21 Q. Could you tell us, please, who said that?
22 THE INTERPRETER: Interpreter's note: That we can hardly hear
23 the witness. The sound is very faint.
24 JUDGE MOLOTO: Yes. The interpreters say they cannot hear you.
25 Your sound is very faint. Mr. Court Officer is going to try and help
Page 2366
1 with you your microphone, and could you please try to speak a little
2 louder and speak directly to the microphone.
3 Mr. Court Officer, could you try and see if you can help the
4 witness with his microphone there, please. Thank you so much. Thank
5 you.
6 Can you repeat your answer, please, for the sake of the
7 interpreters.
8 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] They said that they were going to
9 take him to hospital. Myftar Ibrahimi, Nazmi Ibrahimi, and another
10 person with the name Ibrahimi.
11 THE INTERPRETER: The sound is still very faint. I don't think
12 it's the fault of the witness.
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: The interpreter -- I don't know whether the
14 technicians can help us. They are attending to it, ma'am. Thank you so
15 much.
16 Proceed, Mr. Rogers.
17 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, can I interrupt, please.
18 It seems like the problem is slightly more widespread in -- a number of
19 people in the courtroom are not receiving the translation either, I'm
20 told by my colleagues. I don't have a problem, myself. But I think
21 there's a more widespread problem.
22 JUDGE MOLOTO: Okay. Okay. We've been advised that the
23 technicians are attending to the problem out there and I hope it will be
24 sorted.
25 Do you want us to wait? I can see a technician in court there.
Page 2367
1 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] I think it's quite important that
2 those here in The Hague are able to follow the proceedings, and not
3 everybody can follow the proceedings while they can't hear the questions
4 or the answers.
5 JUDGE MOLOTO: Will you just alert us as soon as the technician
6 is done with his job out there?
7 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Yes. I certainly will.
8 [Technical difficulty]
9 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour --
10 I can only see Mr. Rogers, I'm afraid.
11 Your Honour, I believe the problem may have been resolved. But
12 we do need just a test to see if the systems are now working, so perhaps
13 you could invite the witness just to say something simple in Albanian.
14 JUDGE MOLOTO: We'll do that.
15 Mr. Witness, can you say something in Albanian, something like,
16 "testing, testing, testing," or whatever.
17 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Testing, testing, testing.
18 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] I think we've nearly resolved it, but
19 perhaps we could just say that again so the balance can be set properly.
20 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can you say it again, Mr. Witness.
21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Testing, testing, testing.
22 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, I think the matters have
23 been resolved. Thank you. And apologies for that interruption.
24 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much.
25 Mr. Rogers, sorry for the interruption. Can you carry on.
Page 2368
1 The witness was giving an answer.
2 MR. ROGERS: Okay. Yes.
3 Q. Mr. Witness, I just want to come back, please, to this incident
4 where you saw the body of -- as you say, the body of Skender Kuqi. Could
5 you describe, please, the circumstances in which you saw that body. How
6 was it you were able to observe it?
7 A. The body was without clothes. He had been beaten brutally,
8 severely. That's how I saw him.
9 Q. Can you help, please, with how the body was being carried?
10 A. He was lying down a piece of board or something [as interpreted].
11 I don't know how to describe it.
12 Q. And how was the board being moved? Who was moving it?
13 A. Some soldiers who were there.
14 Q. And which -- which soldiers were they? Who -- for which side
15 were they working? What -- what type of soldiers were they?
16 A. Soldiers of that staff, of that headquarters where Skender Kuqi
17 was. Young soldiers. They had nothing to do with it, but they were just
18 doing their job.
19 Q. And where was the body brought from? When did you first see it?
20 Where -- where was it?
21 A. From one room there in the headquarters.
22 Q. [Previous translation continues] ... was present. You've told us
23 about the soldiers that were carrying the board. Who else was there,
24 please? And I would like you to try to recall as many people as possible
25 as to who was present when that body was being moved.
Page 2369
1 A. I can't remember, but the soldiers I mentioned earlier were
2 there. I can't remember whether there was anybody else.
3 Q. You've told us about, I think, Myftar Brahimaj, Lahi Brahimaj,
4 and at least one other Brahimaj. Who was else with -- if anybody, who
5 else was with those commanders from the staff?
6 A. There were some other Brahimajs. But as far as I know, they are
7 not alive anymore. They are dead.
8 Q. Do you recall whether there were any other commanders from
9 anywhere else that may have been present with the Brahimajs?
10 A. No, I can't remember.
11 Q. Can you describe the body, please, and what it looked like.
12 A. His body was all bruised because of the beating. I believe that
13 his clothes were torn and his limbs were broken. And I think I could see
14 some of his organs.
15 Q. At what point was it said that the -- Skender Kuqi should be
16 taken to a hospital? When did that happen in the sequence of events?
17 A. At the moment I thought he was dead, and at that time there
18 wasn't a doctor present to be able to ascertain his death.
19 Q. I want you to try to be as specific as you can, please, about
20 what you remember. You've told us about a number of people, but who was
21 it that you first heard referring to the body being taken to a hospital?
22 Who first said that, please?
23 A. The first person there was Lahi Brahimi, Nazmi Brahimi,
24 Myftar Ibrahimi. These were the ones that were there and that gave the
25 order for him to be taken to hospital.
Page 2370
1 Q. Where was it that the body was to be taken to? Which hospital?
2 Where?
3 A. In Irzniq.
4 Q. How did you know it was to be that hospital?
5 A. I was there all the time. I was serving there, and I knew that
6 the hospital was in Irzniq.
7 Q. Can you recall whether anybody else may have said that the body
8 should be taken to the hospital in Irzniq?
9 A. No, I don't remember.
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted)
12 (redacted)
13 (redacted)
14 (redacted)
15 (redacted)
16 (redacted)
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted)
Page 2371
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9
10
11 Page 2371 redacted.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
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20
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24
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Page 2372
1 (redacted)
2 (redacted)
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted)
12 (redacted)
13 Q. And who were those important people, please?
14 A. In Jabllanice, Lahi Brahimi, Nazmi Brahimi, Alush Agushi. These
15 were the main people in the staff there. There were other staffs and
16 headquarters in Dukagjin, but they had other people.
17 Q. Can you tell me about those other headquarter staffs, please, in
18 the Dukagjin. Where were they located?
19 A. At that time, there was one in Jabllanice, then in Gllogjan. So
20 each local community, each village, had a staff, but they were not
21 Main Staffs like the one in Jabllanice and Gllogjan. There was another
22 one in Baran led by Colonel Tahir Zemaj.
23 Q. Could you tell me about the Main Staff in Gllogjan, please. Who
24 was in charge of that?
25 A. It was Ramush Haradinaj.
Page 2373
1 Q. And can you help, please, with when he came to be in charge of
2 that staff in Gllogjan, to your knowledge?
3 A. To my knowledge, he was involved from the very beginning of the
4 war.
5 Q. When did you first become aware of Ramush Haradinaj?
6 A. I heard about him sometime in May at the outset of the war.
7 Q. Where was that when you first heard about him?
8 A. I was in Jabllanice.
9 Q. And what -- what was said, please, about him?
10 A. I heard that he's the commander of the staff for Dukagjini.
11 Q. And how did you hear that? Who told you that?
12 A. I heard from Lahi Brahimaj and others.
13 Q. What were the circumstances in which you heard that, please?
14 A. It was there in the staff, when people spoke about him, saying
15 that he's the main person for the staff. Before, I didn't know anything
16 about him. I never heard his name before.
17 Q. Can you help, please, with why was it that he was being talked
18 about then? That it was being said he was the main person.
19 A. His name, the name of every commander in every village, in every
20 place, if someone was a commander, his name was referred to, was
21 mentioned.
22 Q. Did you see him at all? Ramush Haradinaj.
23 A. Yes, yes.
24 Q. When did you first see him; and where was that?
25 A. I saw him first in Jabllanice, and I saw him in Baran several
Page 2374
1 times.
2 Q. Tell me, please, about the time in Jabllanice. When -- when was
3 that, please, that you saw him in Jabllanice?
4 A. I saw him in Jabllanice for the first time when Skender Kuqi
5 died.
6 Q. So where was he, please?
7 A. He was there.
8 Q. Whereabouts?
9 A. In the staff, there. How can I say it? How can I explain it to
10 you? He was in the staff.
11 Q. In relation to -- you've told us Skender Kuqi died. Were --
12 MR. EMMERSON: In fact, what the witness has told us is that he
13 saw Skender Kuqi in a poor state and he assumed that he had died.
14 There's independent evidence he was in fact still alive.
15 MR. ROGERS: Be that as it may, if that's in fact the case, the
16 situation is the witness says that he saw him in those circumstances.
17 That's what I ascertain.
18 Q. In relation to that, in relation to Skender Kuqi, where was
19 Ramush Haradinaj when that body was brought out?
20 A. Inside, in the staff, that's where he was. But I want to
21 explain, once again, that I cannot ascertain for sure that he was dead.
22 Maybe he -- for the moment, he was still alive, but to my knowledge, as
23 far as I understood it, his condition, he was dead. I am not a doctor,
24 and I wasn't there very close to him to make sure he was dead. But
25 that's my opinion.
Page 2375
1 Q. Can you help with whether you were able to see if
2 Ramush Haradinaj could see the body of Skender Kuqi?
3 A. Yes. I may say, I may confirm, that his family, too, came there
4 and intervened. For example, about his -- the confirmation that he was
5 dead. Later, I heard that he was dead.
6 Q. Mr. Witness, I wasn't asking you about his family. I was asking
7 you about Mr. Haradinaj, Mr. Ramush Haradinaj. Are you able to tell us
8 whether he was able to see what was happening with the body of
9 Skender Kuqi?
10 A. No, no, I cannot say that. I don't know whether he was dead or
11 not; I know that --
12 [Technical difficulty]
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] All right.
14 Mr. Court Officer, the technicians is asking whether the last sentence
15 was recorded. We've got to check whether that was recorded.
16 THE REGISTRAR: It was not. If you can ask witness to repeat it,
17 please.
18 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can you ask the question again, Mr. Rogers.
19 MR. ROGERS: Yes, perhaps we could just ask the witness to repeat
20 what he just said, because I'm not sure I can remember the question
21 precisely.
22 Q. Witness, could you just repeat the last thing you said to the
23 Court, please.
24 MR. EMMERSON: It's: I cannot say whether Ramush Haradinaj was
25 in a position to see what happened to the body of Skender Kuqi.
Page 2376
1 MR. ROGERS: Yes, but there was something the witness was saying
2 that was untranslated. I wonder if we could hear what it was that he
3 said, please.
4 THE WITNESS: I can't hear anything.
5 JUDGE MOLOTO: We have a problem now.
6 [Technical difficulty]
7 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can you say something, Mr. Witness? "Testing,
8 testing."
9 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Test, test, test.
10 JUDGE MOLOTO: I must say, it was the witness who couldn't hear,
11 so can somebody say something and let's hear whether the witness can
12 hear.
13 MR. ROGERS: One, two, three, four, five. Can you hear that?
14 No.
15 [Technical difficulty]
16 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, yes. Now, yes.
17 Yes, yes. I can hear now.
18 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Witness, can you hear any of the Albanian
19 interpretation of my question that I'm just -- the question that I'm just
20 putting to you?
21 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Yes, Your Honour. Yes.
22 MR. ROGERS: Mr. Witness, let's just try to get back onto this
23 subject and then move -- move from there. I was asking you about whether
24 Ramush Haradinaj, as far as you were concerned, was able to see what was
25 happing with Skender Kuqi. Now, could you just recap, please, on
Page 2377
1 whether --
2 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can I interrupt you, sir. I'm told the transcript
3 in The Hague is not working.
4 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Yes, Your Honour, can we pause --
5 pause for a second.
6 JUDGE MOLOTO: Sorry. Mr. Court Officer, you want us to stop a
7 little bit?
8 [Technical difficulty]
9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Okay. We may proceed.
10 Mr. Rogers, you may stand up -- I see Mr. Guy-Smith is on his --
11 okay.
12 MR. GUY-SMITH: I'm on my feet but I'm not on my feet for any
13 reason as regard Mr. Rogers.
14 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Mr. Guy-Smith.
15 Okay. Mr. Rogers, you may proceed.
16 MR. ROGERS: It's a relief to know -- [overlapping speakers] ...
17 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] No, no --
18 MR. ROGERS: -- Mr. Guy-Smith's not on his feet for me.
19 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, can I interrupt, please.
20 MR. ROGERS:
21 Q. Mr. Witness, let's just go back to see if we can deal with this
22 issue.
23 Now, so far as Mr. Haradinaj was concerned, when you were --
24 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, can you hear me?
25 MR. ROGERS: Oh, Mr. Troop's on his ...
Page 2378
1 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Troop.
2 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, since the -- since the
3 connection was just lost, something has changed with the setting, so it's
4 practically impossible to follow what's happening. I'm having
5 difficulties and I know my client's having difficulties. It seems that
6 based on -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
7 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... is not on his feet for
8 you. He's on his feet for some technology.
9 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, the English and Albanian
10 appear to be coming through on the same channel, so it's practically
11 impossible to either listen or follow.
12 Can you hear me, Your Honour?
13 Well, I'm told, Your Honour, that the problem has now been fixed.
14 I think we can probably continue.
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: Okay. Mr. Troop has taken his seat.
16 Mr. Rogers, will you please stand.
17 MR. ROGERS: [Microphone not activated] ... that's more of a
18 worry, perhaps. It appears the gremlins have struck.
19 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, did you hear anything
20 of -- that I -- anything that I said on the previous intervention?
21 Your Honour, can you hear me on this microphone?
22 [Technical difficulty]
23 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] Your Honour, I'm just checking to see
24 if you can now hear me or if anyone else in the courtroom can now hear
25 me.
Page 2379
1 I'll take that as a no.
2 [Technical difficulty]
3 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, can you hear me now?
4 JUDGE MOLOTO: Yes, ma'am. [Microphone not activated]
5 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] I will give the floor to
6 Mr. Troop, if you don't mind, Your Honours.
7 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much, ma'am.
8 Yes, Mr. Troop.
9 MR. TROOP: [Via videolink] I can hear you now. I think you all
10 can hear me now, Your Honour. I'll just check to make sure everyone
11 behind me can follow the proceedings.
12 Yes, the problems appear to have been solved for the time being.
13 Thank you.
14 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much, Mr. Troop.
15 Once again, we apologise for the interruption, Mr. Rogers, but
16 you may proceed now.
17 MR. ROGERS: That's all right, Your Honour, I'll try again.
18 Q. Mr. Witness, you were telling us about the presence of
19 Ramush Haradinaj at the Jabllanice headquarters when the body of
20 Skender Kuqi was being moved, and I was asking you whether, from where
21 you were able to observe, whether, in your view, Mr. Haradinaj was able
22 to see what had happened to that body, in terms of its movement.
23 A. I said earlier that he didn't see when he was beaten up, but the
24 condition the body was in was seen not only by Ramush Haradinaj but by
25 thousands of people.
Page 2380
1 Q. [Previous translation continues] ... did you hear anything said
2 by Ramush Haradinaj as that body was being moved? Did you hear him say
3 anything either before or after the movement of the body, please?
4 A. Yes, he was very concerned about what happened to that man. And
5 there was a problem between him -- him and Lahi in relation to the fact
6 that that body was reduced to that situation.
7 Q. What did you hear him say? Ramush Haradinaj.
8 A. Why did you do that to him?
9 Q. I want to ask you, please, with -- whether you recall seeing
10 Mr. Haradinaj at the Jabllanice headquarters on any other occasion when
11 you were also present at Jabllanice.
12 A. I remember to have seen him at that moment.
13 Q. That wasn't my question. My question was whether you recall
14 seeing him on any other occasion when you were present at the Jabllanice
15 headquarters. By that, I mean any other occasion other than the occasion
16 in which we're dealing with Mr. Kuqi.
17 A. He was there several times. But in the case of Kuqi, that was
18 when I saw him.
19 Q. Could you tell me about the other times that you saw
20 Mr. Haradinaj at the Jabllanice headquarters?
21 MR. EMMERSON: Sorry. Just looking at the witness's last answer,
22 he seems to say the only time he saw Mr. Haradinaj was in -- on the last
23 occasion with Skender Kuqi, although he's aware that he was there on
24 other occasions. So before Mr. Rogers proceeds --
25 JUDGE MOLOTO: Let him clarify that.
Page 2381
1 MR. ROGERS:
2 Q. How many --
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Witness, how many times did you see Mr. -- let
4 me talk first and then -- before you answer, Mr. Witness.
5 How many times did you see Mr. Ramush Haradinaj at the
6 headquarters, Jabllanice?
7 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] I said earlier, Your Honour, I saw
8 him several times. He was commander there.
9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much. You saw him several times at
10 the Jabllanice headquarters. Thank you.
11 You may proceed, Mr. Rogers.
12 MR. ROGERS: Thank you.
13 Q. I would like you to tell us, please, about the other times when
14 you saw Ramush Haradinaj at the Jabllanice headquarters.
15 When was the first time that you saw him there?
16 A. I said. In the case of Skender Kuqi, I saw that he was there
17 when he came. He came other times, but I didn't go near him to know why
18 he came.
19 Q. Were those other occasions before or after the Skender Kuqi
20 incident?
21 MR. EMMERSON: That question has already been asked and answered.
22 MR. ROGERS: No, it hasn't -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
23 MR. EMMERSON: [Overlapping speakers] ... questions earlier on I
24 saw him the first time in Jabllanice and in Baran several times. I saw
25 him in Jabllanice for the first time when Skender Kuqi died.
Page 2382
1 That's the witness's testimony.
2 MR. ROGERS: But it appears to been inconsistent with the answers
3 he's just given, so --
4 MR. EMMERSON: No, it doesn't.
5 MR. ROGERS: Yes, it does. So we're trying to clarify it.
6 Now, if Your Honours consider it's not a proper question, then we
7 move on. But it appears to me, in the light of the answers, to be a
8 proper question, respectfully.
9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Yes, you may proceed. It's a proper question.
10 MR. ROGERS: Thank you, Your Honours.
11 Q. So, Mr. Witness, if you would kindly answer my question.
12 Was -- the occasions when you saw Ramush Haradinaj at the
13 Jabllanice headquarters, were they before or after the incident with
14 Skender Kuqi?
15 A. Before the incident with Skender Kuqi.
16 (redacted)
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 Q. And what was Ramush Haradinaj doing when you saw him there at the
21 Jabllanice headquarters?
22 A. He was sitting there, and he was listening to the threats made to
23 us by Lahi and his brother Nazmi, people who were in the staff, most of
24 whom I didn't know.
25 Q. And at that time when he was sitting there listening to the
Page 2383
1 threats, did you know who he was? And how did you know who he was at
2 that time?
3 A. It was there that I found out who he was, and then I got to know
4 him. Until then, I didn't know him at all.
5 Q. So who was it that told you - and anybody else present
6 listening - that this man was Ramush Haradinaj?
7 A. Lahi Brahimaj told me that this is the Dukagjin commander, and
8 gave the name. He said, This is Ramush Haradinaj.
9 Q. What was your understanding of the nature of the relationship
10 between Lahi Brahimaj and Ramush Haradinaj?
11 MR. EMMERSON: Objection. Objection. Objection. On what basis
12 is the witness in a position to give that evidence?
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Rogers.
14 MR. ROGERS: We won't know till he answers it, as to what his
15 understanding of the nature of the relationship was. Then he can explain
16 where he gets that understanding from.
17 JUDGE MOLOTO: Overruled.
18 Yes, Mr. Rogers.
19 MR. ROGERS:
20 Q. Please answer the question. What's your understanding of the
21 nature of the relationship between Ramush Haradinaj and Lahi Brahimaj?
22 A. My understanding was that they were very close to each other.
23 Q. In what way close? Could you just explain that a little bit
24 more, please?
25 A. To my knowledge, they are nephew and uncle, maternal uncle.
Page 2384
1 Q. Which is the nephew and which is the maternal uncle?
2 A. Nephew is Ramush; and the maternal uncle is Lahi.
3 Q. What was your understanding at that time of the nature of any
4 relationship, so far as the KLA was concerned, between Ramush Haradinaj
5 and Lahi Brahimaj?
6 You've told us that they were commanders. Can you tell us,
7 please, whether one was in charge of the other, or what the nature of
8 that relationship was, please.
9 A. Well, Lahi was commander of Dushkaja, Jabllanice.
10 Ramush Haradinaj was commander -- general commander of the staff for the
11 Dukagjini plain.
12 Q. So where did the -- as you understand it, where did the
13 Jabllanice command fit into that relationship?
14 MR. EMMERSON: Can Mr. Rogers please identify what period of time
15 he is talking about, because obviously the Trial Chamber already has
16 independent records of the date upon which Mr. Haradinaj was elected as
17 commander of the Dukagjini plain -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
18 MR. ROGERS: [Overlapping speakers] ... can Mr. Emmerson
19 not testify about that --
20 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... please don't give
21 evidence about that --
22 MR. EMMERSON: I'm not testifying -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
23 MR. ROGERS: [Overlapping speakers] ...
24 MR. EMMERSON: Well, let me make my objection clear.
25 JUDGE MOLOTO: Well, you are not -- you didn't make an objection.
Page 2385
1 You asked if a question can be asked in a way that you suggest. You
2 asked him to give a time-frame. Let's -- let's deal with that.
3 MR. EMMERSON: Yes, the date upon which this witness is referring
4 to.
5 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... don't explain why you
6 asked for a time-frame.
7 Yes, go ahead.
8 MR. ROGERS: No, I'm entirely happy to do that, of course. And
9 perhaps, Your Honour, just for the record, Mr. Emmerson could refrain
10 from attempting to put evidence in the record.
11 MR. EMMERSON: [Microphone not activated] ... it's already in the
12 record.
13 MR. ROGERS: Yes, but not when witness is sitting there, because
14 it's inappropriate. If he wants to make an objection about the form of
15 the question, that's fine.
16 JUDGE MOLOTO: I thought the Bench dealt with that, Mr. Rogers.
17 Thank you so much.
18 MR. ROGERS: Forgive me.
19 Q. Mr. Witness, what -- what -- at what time -- you've referred to
20 the relationship in terms of the command of the Dukagjin zone. When was
21 this -- what time was your understanding of that relationship? What time
22 are we talking about, in 1998?
23 A. From May to -- to the arrival of Tahir Zemaj in Baran and
24 Prapaqan.
25 Q. And when was that, please? When was that arrival?
Page 2386
1 A. Tahir Zemaj came in June. Sometime in June.
2 Q. On this occasion when the -- the introduction took place, in what
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
5 had it introduced -- had -- Ramush Haradinaj was introduced to you?
6 A. This was in May.
7 Q. And on this occasion when Ramush Haradinaj was introduced, did he
8 say anything himself? (redacted)
9 A. No, he didn't say anything.
10 Q. What -- when was the next time that you saw Ramush Haradinaj at
11 the Jabllanice headquarters?
12 A. It was during the incident with Skender Kuqi that I saw him the
13 next time.
14 Q. Do you recall now seeing him on any other prior occasion?
15 A. I can't remember. I told you that I saw him several times, but I
16 remember seeing him in the case of Skender Kuqi and the other occasion
17 (redacted).
18 Q. Mr. Witness, I want to ask you now about the occasion --
19 occasions when you were beaten yourself.
20 Yesterday you told us, at page 79 of the transcript -- sorry,
21 forgive me. -- occasions when you were present when there were beatings.
22 Just let me take you to that. Page 79 of the transcript from
23 yesterday. I was asking you about the time when you were detained and
24 you saw Jah Bushati who was detained there; do you recall that?
25 A. [No verbal response]
Page 2387
1 Q. You're nodding.
2 A. Yes, yes.
3 Q. Can I just remind you. At page 79 of the transcript, you said:
4 "I saw Jah when he was beaten, and then he was released and
5 became a good soldier, as they called him, and he obeyed the orders of
6 the people who gave him orders.
7 "I heard then [sic], there, when he had an order to attack some
8 brothers from Baran --"
9 I interrupt you and I said:
10 "I didn't ask you about him. I asked you about whether you saw
11 anybody else being beaten."
12 And you said:
13 "I saw him. So, far for the time I was there, I saw Jah."
14 What I want to ask you is: When Jah was there as a detainee, did
15 you see anybody else on any occasion being beaten whilst you were there?
16 A. At that moment, there was another person, but I can't remember
17 who he was. I think he was from Gjakova, and he became a soldier of the
18 KLA as well. But he was beaten as well, just like Jaha [as interpreted].
19 Q. You told us yesterday as well about some other people who were
20 beaten. One other person whose name you told us was a neighbour. I'm
21 not going to mention the name, but you told him -- told us he was
22 somebody you knew from the village.
23 Apart from Jah, that person and --
24 MR. EMMERSON: Can we have a transcript reference, please.
25 MR. ROGERS: The reference is at page 89 on line 11 and -- 11,
Page 2388
1 13, 11 to 13.
2 Q. So apart from that person that you told us was a co-villager --
3 A. Yes, I understood the question.
4 Q. Yes. Apart from that person, Mr. Bushati, Skender Kuqi, and the
5 man that you've just described, did you see anybody else being beaten on
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, that will need to be redacted. We'll
10 need to go into a short private session and then redact that.
11 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please move into private session.
12 [Private session] [Confidentiality partially lifted by order of the Chamber]
13 (redacted)
14 (redacted)
15 (redacted)
16 (redacted)
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
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Page 2390
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3 Q. Can you remember what happened to them? Can you describe the
4 incidents in which beating was occurring, please?
5 A. There were young people there that were detained.
6 Q. Tell me about the young people. Who -- who were they, and what
7 did you see happening to the young people?
8 A. I have mentioned this before, and I will mention it again, that
9 they were from Klina somewhere.
10 Q. And what happened to them?
11 A. They were beaten to a pulp. They were ill-treated.
12 Q. When was this incident, referring to these young people, when was
13 this?
14 A. In May. That's when it happened.
15 MR. ROGERS: I think we can go back into open session.
16 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please go into private -- into
17 open session.
18 [Open session]
19 JUDGE MOLOTO: And would this be a convenient time, Mr. Rogers?
20 MR. ROGERS: Yes, it would. Yes.
21 JUDGE MOLOTO: And, Madam Court Officer, can you push us straight
22 into closed session.
23 [Closed session]
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted)
Page 2391
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4 (redacted)
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 [Open session]
8 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
9 session.
10 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.
11 We'll take a break and come back at ten to 11.00.
12 Court adjourned.
13 (redacted)
14 (redacted)
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.
16 May the Chamber please move into closed session.
17 [Closed session]
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 [Open session]
Page 2392
1 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
2 session.
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much.
4 Mr. Rogers.
5 MR. ROGERS:
6 Q. Mr. Witness, you were telling us before the break about some
7 young people that you said were beaten to a pulp. And you were telling
8 us that the incident took place sometime in May.
9 Can you -- can you be a little bit more specific, please, by
10 reference to the attack on a village, can you tell us, please, how close
11 to that attack this -- this incident took place, relating to the young
12 people? Was it before or after?
13 A. Before the attack.
14 Q. [Previous translation continues] ... and where was it? Could you
15 just describe where this incident with the young people took place; and
16 what happened?
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 MR. ROGERS: Yes. Please, Your Honour, we'll need to redact the
21 reference to the village name.
22 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please move into open -- into
23 closed -- private session.
24 [Private session] [Confidentiality partially lifted by order of the Chamber]
25 (redacted)
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7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 Q. And when you saw them again, what were you doing there? Why were
11 you in Jabllanice?
12 A. I was detained, too. And when they were arrested, I tried to
13 help them flee that place, to go to their homes, but I was threatened
14 also.
15 Q. And who threatened you?
16 A. These people who took those kids to Jabllanice. They told me,
17 It's not good of you to speak out or to release them, because we are
18 going to kill you, too.
19 Q. And do you know where these young people were kept when they were
20 in Jabllanice?
21 A. There, in the staff, or the staff prison, if I might say so.
22 Because there was a prison there, a terrible prison, a prison that I
23 cannot describe.
24 Q. Is this the same place that you've been talking to -- been
25 telling us about during the course of your evidence, where people were
Page 2398
1 detained?
2 A. Yes, yes. There was a prison and also a staff. There was also a
3 sort of kitchen, which means that the army came to eat there, and I
4 (redacted).
5 Q. Now, you told us that these young people were people that you'd
6 seen beaten. Did you see that happen in this place, in the prison at
7 Jabllanice?
8 A. Yes, I saw them being beaten up.
9 Q. Could you tell us, please, what happened to them.
10 A. They were beaten up, brutally, black and blue, and it is hard for
11 me to describe the way they were beaten up there. And that's why --
12 that's one of the reasons that I don't feel well today, that I can't
13 sleep well today, because I think of them.
14 Q. Mr. Witness, whilst this may be difficult for you, please, could
15 you explain to the Court, because the Court needs to understand,
16 precisely what it was that you saw happen to these young people.
17 So could you tell us.
18 A. As I said earlier, it is hard for someone when someone else asks
19 you for help and you can't help him, but I'll try to describe, as far as
20 I can remember, what I saw.
21 They were very badly beaten up, but I don't know anything about
22 their future fate.
23 Q. What happened to them? What did you see happening? And can you
24 tell us, please, who was carrying out the beating?
25 A. Part in the beatings took many people -- there were many people
Page 2399
1 who took part in the beatings. I think they were there purposely for
2 that. I can't name them because I don't know the names. But there were
3 many people involved. There are other people like Lahi Brahimaj who saw,
4 himself, his brother Nazmi, saw for himself when these people were being
5 beaten. Or Idriz Balaj. They know very well what happened. They should
6 say. If they do have a heart and a soul, they should speak out the
7 truth. Because, in my opinion, they were very young people, those who
8 were being beaten.
9 Q. You mentioned Idriz Balaj. Can you tell us a little bit about
10 him, please? Why did you mention his name?
11 A. Why I mention his name? Because he didn't help those young men.
12 Because he was in a position to do something about them, to release them.
13 Even beaten up as they were, he might have let them go home.
14 Q. What, if anything, did you see him do during the course of this
15 beating?
16 A. I said that they were badly beaten, and I am repeating. The most
17 horrendous way. But I am unable to describe. I said, because of those
18 memories I don't feel well today. I feel very bad. I can't sleep
19 properly because of those things.
20 Q. Mr. Witness, would you please answer my question.
21 What, if anything, did you see Idriz Balaj do during the course
22 of those beatings?
23 A. I said already that he didn't give any orders for these young
24 people to be released, to go home. He himself maltreated them.
25 Q. How did he maltreat them?
Page 2400
1 A. He took part in their beating.
2 Q. Please describe precisely what he did.
3 A. These people were beaten up until their -- until they peed in
4 their clothes. They couldn't hold in their pee.
5 Q. Mr. Witness, whilst this may be difficult for you to describe,
6 please, would you answer my question: What exactly did you see
7 Idriz Balaj do?
8 A. He beat these people much. One of them was hurt. He was beaten
9 to a pulp, if I might say so. He was in a very bad condition. I told
10 you they urinated in their own clothes.
11 Q. How was Idriz Balaj beating these people? In what way? And what
12 with, if anything?
13 A. I said he brutally beat them, and I am repeating. They were so
14 badly beaten up and -- that I couldn't even look at their beatings.
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Witness, please try to listen to the questions
16 and try to answer the questions directly. And we understand that this
17 may be very difficult for you. The question that you are being asked is:
18 What, if anything, did Idriz Balaj beat the children -- the kids with?
19 Are you able to tell us?
20 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Your Honour, I said that they were
21 beaten with sticks. One of them was in a very bad state. He had his ear
22 cut off.
23 I don't know what more to say.
24 MR. ROGERS:
25 Q. Who cut the ear off?
Page 2401
1 A. I'm repeating. And if these people are alive somewhere, they can
2 confirm what I'm saying. And the persons might know who the person who
3 cut his ear off was.
4 Q. Who was the person that cut of ear off?
5 A. From what I saw, it was Idriz Balaj.
6 Q. How did he do that, please?
7 A. With a knife.
8 Q. Can you describe the knife?
9 A. It was a knife. I cannot describe the knife. If you show me the
10 knife, I might -- I might not be able to say that that was the knife, but
11 it was a knife. Very sharp knife.
12 I can't say -- be more precise.
13 Q. When he cut the ear off, did you hear him say or speak anything?
14 A. He cried, Oh, my mother, he said. Please help me. But we were
15 unable to offer any help to anyone.
16 Q. It's my fault for the question.
17 Who was crying and saying, Help?
18 A. The persons who were being beaten up and the person whose ear was
19 cut off.
20 Q. What, if anything, was Idriz Balaj saying at the time of the
21 beating or the ear cutting-off?
22 What, if anything, did you hear him say?
23 A. I heard that they should arrange his papers to go to Drenica or
24 somewhere else, I don't know.
25 Q. Who was saying, Take -- Arrange the papers for Drenica?
Page 2402
1 I'll ask you to explain what it means, if you know, in a minute.
2 But just -- first of all, just who was it that was saying that,
3 that you heard, please?
4 A. Idriz Balaj was the person.
5 Q. And do you know who he was talking to at all?
6 A. To people who were there, Lahi Brahimi and people like him.
7 Q. You say, "People like him." Can you tell us, please, a bit more
8 about the people like him. Who else like him was there?
9 A. Whom do you mean?
10 Q. Well, you referred to people like Lahi Brahimaj. What do you
11 mean by "people like him"? What sort of people like him?
12 A. Nazmi Brahimaj, Alush Agushi were there. Myftar Ibrahimaj,
13 Naser Ibrahimaj, all of them. They were related.
14 Q. Were any commanders from any other areas present?
15 A. No, I don't recall anyone else.
16 Q. Do you recall any other family members of the Brahimajs being
17 present?
18 A. I told you. Myftar, Myftar Ibrahimaj. The ones I mentioned. I
19 don't recall anyone else.
20 Q. I want to ask you specifically whether you recall seeing
21 Mr. Haradinaj being present during the course of that incident. By
22 Mr. Haradinaj, I mean Ramush Haradinaj.
23 A. I don't recall. A long time has passed. I don't know. I'm not
24 certain.
25 Q. Could you tell us a little bit more, please, about who
Page 2403
1 Idriz Balaj was? What -- what was his position?
2 A. From what I gathered and from what I heard in the staff,
3 Idriz Balaj was the commander of the Black Eagles. And during all the
4 time, he was there for the worst; unfortunately for many Albanians. And
5 that was the case also after the war. He did the same things he did
6 during the war also after the war, jeopardizing the life of many people.
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted)
12 (redacted)
13 (redacted)
14 Q. That was my fault. In relation to the -- the prison in
15 Jabllanice, did you see whether they had come from any part of that
16 prison area before they were beaten, or did you just see them in the
17 place where they were being beaten?
18 A. They came from the cellar. There was a cellar there as part of
19 the prison.
20 Q. Were you able to see them coming from pris-- the cellar? Is that
21 something you saw yourself?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. And what condition were they in when they were brought from the
24 cellar?
25 A. Their clothes were wet. They were beaten up. They had bruises
Page 2404
1 on their bodies.
2 Q. Were they able to move freely or were they tied in any way?
3 A. They were tied, one after another.
4 Q. Can you describe how they were tied, please?
5 A. They were -- their hands were tied to -- to each other.
6 Q. When you say "their hands were tied to each other," do you mean
7 their individual hands were tide, or that they were tide the three of
8 them together?
9 A. They were tied to one another. That is - how can I say? - like a
10 chain. How can I explain better?
11 Q. And for how long did this, the beating of these individuals, take
12 place?
13 A. I can't say for sure, but I think they remained there for two or
14 three days, in that prison.
15 Q. Was that before or after the -- the beating that you witnessed,
16 that they stayed there for two or three days?
17 A. No, the -- the case of the beatings was the last. I didn't see
18 them after that.
19 Q. Now, you were -- can I just ask you: During the course of the
20 beating, did you hear anything being said to those people by those that
21 were beating them? Did you hear any words being said to them; and, if
22 so, what?
23 A. I heard these words, because they said these words also to me:
24 Look out. Your day will come, too, when you will be like them.
25 Q. Can you recall anything else that was being said to those people
Page 2405
1 as they were being beaten by ...
2 A. I said even earlier that they said, We will arrange for your
3 papers to go to Drenice. That is, to remove them from there.
4 Q. What did you understand that meant?
5 A. In my opinion, that meant that they would no longer be seen.
6 And, in fact, they were no longer seen after that moment. I don't know
7 anything about their fate. Or in Drenice there was another similar
8 prison or something like that.
9 Q. Can I clarify with you so I understand. What do you mean by that
10 they would no longer be seen? The papers for Drenice.
11 A. It means that they would be killed or would not longer be seen
12 alive. And, in fact, I haven't seen them. I don't know whether they are
13 alive or not -- dead.
14 Q. How did you know that that is what papers for Drenice meant? How
15 did you learn that?
16 A. I am saying this based on some things that happened to some other
17 people before. These were circulated. Make the papers, prepare the
18 papers for Drenice. And such people were no longer seen.
19 Q. When you heard those words being used on other occasions, who did
20 you hear using them?
21 A. The people who were in Jabllanice that I mentioned earlier. They
22 were doing some form of propaganda, or whether this was true, I don't
23 know. But some of the people that I saw in the prison there, I never saw
24 again, I never was able to contact again.
25 Q. After the beating finished, what did you see happen to the --
Page 2406
1 those three individuals?
2 A. I don't know what happened to them after that. I left the place,
3 and I don't know.
4 Q. When you left the place, were the individuals still there, or had
5 they -- had they left the place as well but before you?
6 A. No, they left. I didn't see them again.
7 Q. Do I understand your answer to be that they left before you left?
8 A. Yes. I didn't see them again. They left before me.
9 Q. And did you see how they left or who took them away?
10 A. Soldiers took them. I can't say any names here because I'm not
11 sure who took them. They were taken from there, and from that moment on
12 they were not seen again.
13 Q. What was Idriz Balaj doing at the time that these people were
14 taken?
15 A. I told you. At the time, he was a commander, wearing a black
16 uniform.
17 Q. Do you know who issued the orders to the soldiers to take the
18 people away?
19 A. I think I explained clearly that the people, the names of whom I
20 mentioned earlier - Lahi, Alush Agushi, Idriz Balaj - were the ones who
21 were taking those kinds of decisions.
22 Q. Did you hear who -- who or which one of those individuals issued
23 the orders to the soldiers to take these people away?
24 A. Idriz Balaj himself.
25 Q. Thank you. What was Lahi Brahimaj doing during the course of
Page 2407
1 this beating?
2 A. He was watching all those things. He was carrying out his tasks,
3 whatever tasks he had. He knows those things. But he saw with his own
4 eyes. Neither Lahi nor Nazmi and the other people that I mentioned
5 cannot -- can say that they didn't see what happened there.
6 Q. Did you see him take any part in the beating, himself?
7 A. Yes. And I take full responsibility when I say that the -- that
8 Lahi and Nazmi, the two brothers, took part in their beating.
9 Q. Can you tell me, please, what exactly Lahi Brahimaj did during
10 the course of the beating?
11 A. I explained earlier that they beat them with a stick, and they
12 were crying, Oh, my mother, oh, my mother. And I don't know -- I told
13 you earlier, and I don't know how clear I was before, but I can't speak
14 about these things very much.
15 Q. Did you see Lahi Brahimaj himself using a stick?
16 A. Yes. I told you earlier I saw him myself. I saw his brother as
17 well.
18 (redacted)
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25 [Open session]
Page 2409
1 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
2 session.
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much.
4 We'll take an adjournment until we hear from the witness.
5 Court adjourned.
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please move into closed session.
9 [Closed session]
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17 [Open session]
18 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
19 session.
20 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Madam Registrar.
21 Mr. Rogers, you may proceed.
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18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Page 2421
1 (redacted)
2 Q. Can you help us, please, with approximately how many other times
3 you saw Ramush Haradinaj at Jabllanice when you were there?
4 A. I saw him several times. I showed you. And it's true that he
5 was there. I can't say that he wasn't there. He was the commander of
6 that region, and therefore he went to the staff, and it's impossible for
7 him not to know what was going on.
8 Q. On the occasions that you saw Ramush Haradinaj, are you able to
9 help us with where Idriz Balaj was?
10 A. Idriz Balaj was there, in the staff. He moved a lot. He was
11 very mobile. But he was in the headquarters.
12 Q. Was that on each occasion that you saw Ramush Haradinaj there or
13 on -- or on one or other occasions?
14 MR. EMMERSON: I don't think that's the witness's evidence. He
15 simply said, I saw Mr. Balaj in the staff and he was very mobile.
16 MR. ROGERS: Yes. And the question was in relation to him with
17 Ramush Haradinaj. And I'm trying to ascertain whether he saw -- the
18 witness saw them together on occasions -- on those occasions at
19 Jabllanice.
20 Q. So the question is: Did you see Balaj and Haradinaj together on
21 the occasions that you saw Haradinaj at Jabllanice?
22 A. I said yes, I saw him. They were together. He was there.
23 Q. And was that on each time they were together there?
24 A. I don't understand -- understand.
25 Q. All right. Was it every time you saw Haradinaj you saw Balaj
Page 2422
1 with him? Is that -- is that what the situation was?
2 A. No. Please, I didn't see him regularly. Two or three times, I
3 might say, but not every time.
4 Q. And was that with Mr. Haradinaj?
5 A. Together with Mr. Haradinaj where? What do you mean?
6 Q. At Jabllanice. When you saw Mr. Haradinaj at Jabllanice, did you
7 see him also with Mr. Balaj?
8 A. They didn't coming together. One came before, the other came
9 after. But they were there, both of them. They didn't come together by
10 the same car, let's say. They came separately.
11 Q. Apart from the first time when you were first introduced to
12 Mr. Haradinaj, (redacted), on the other occasions
13 you saw him, can you tell us, please, how the soldiers were treating him
14 when he was seen -- when -- when you saw him there with the soldiers?
15 A. I am unable to say anything, I think, that -- like any ordinary
16 person. There was a rally of people there. There were some people
17 around him, but I didn't know who he was. It was later that I found out
18 that he was the commander. I think I was very clear when I explained. I
19 don't really get where you want -- what you want to ask me.
20 Can you be more straightforward, please, because I can't
21 understand.
22 Q. It's all right, Mr. Witness. I don't need to pursue that with
23 you.
24 [Prosecution counsel confer]
25 (redacted)
Page 2423
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 Page 2423 redacted.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Page 2424
1 (redacted)
2 (redacted)
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, I do have the -- a couple of issues I
10 want to raise. I think it would be best if they were dealt with in the
11 absence of the witness, so perhaps he could just be excused briefly
12 whilst I raise those with Your Honours.
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Witness, could you excuse us for a short
14 while. You will be called a little later.
15 May the Chamber please move into closed session.
16 [Closed session]
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 [Open session]
Page 2425
1 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
2 session.
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much, ma'am.
4 Yes, Mr. Rogers.
5 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, there are some memory-refreshing
6 issues that I wish to raise relating to the role of Mr. Haradinaj
7 concerning the prior statements that we have. Really confined to
8 presence, whether he was or wasn't present and what this witness has said
9 about that on the particular occasions. I need to just identify, in the
10 light of the evidence that we've heard, the precise references and
11 passages that I would wish to show to the witness to refresh his memory.
12 And then I can proceed with Your Honours' leave to do so once we have
13 laid a foundation. But I'd said to my learned friend that I wouldn't go
14 into this with him at all until -- in his presence or even begin to lay a
15 foundation, because I know that he may wish to make some representations
16 about it, which is why I'm raising it in the way I am now.
17 JUDGE MOLOTO: Yes, Mr. Emmerson.
18 MR. EMMERSON: Your Honour, I object to the use of prior
19 statements for memory refreshing in the light of the testimony that the
20 witness has just given. So Mr. Rogers has not yet identified the
21 passages that he's referring to, but I can anticipate what they would be.
22 And if we can start with the evidence that's just been given, because
23 it's fresh in everybody's memory, Mr. Rogers wishes to put to the witness
24 evidence concerning the presence of Mr. Haradinaj, which is -- which is
25 derived from the accounts given by this witness in previous statements,
Page 2426
1 that Mr. Haradinaj was present (redacted)
2 (redacted).
3 Now, the testimony the witness has given is not testimony that
4 says, I can no longer recall one way or the other because, due to the
5 lapse of time, my memory has faded. If that were the position, then I
6 would have no objection to the use of a prior statement at a time when
7 his memory would have been fresher in order to refresh his memory.
8 But his testimony is, first of all, that there were two people
9 called Ramush who visited Jabllanice --
10 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... Haradinaj.
11 MR. EMMERSON: No, Ramush. Ramush. But not Ramush Haradinaj.
12 Two people with the first name Ramush. That he heard that name being
13 used and that he had heard a rumour afterwards that Ramush Haradinaj had
14 been present. However, (redacted), he never saw the
15 man or was not in a position to identify him. So whatever he may have
16 said to the Prosecutor at times in the past in relation to that, it
17 cannot conceivably be said that this is a memory-refreshing situation,
18 because what the witness has now told Your Honours unequivocally is that
19 the impediment to any possible recognition in a reliable form was an
20 impediment that existed at the time of the incident. That's not a
21 memory-refreshing situation at all. And if what Mr. Rogers wants to do
22 is to explore why it was that notwithstanding that he in fact didn't see
23 Mr. Haradinaj he told the Prosecutor that he did, well, there is some
24 explanation on the record already, namely, that he heard the name and he
25 heard some rumours, but in any event that exercise would not be a
Page 2427
1 memory-refreshing exercise. It would be impeachment and it would be a
2 situation where Mr. Rogers was applying to turn the witness hostile. And
3 that, of course, is a matter for the Bench to determine and for the Bench
4 to control.
5 But were we to reach the position that Mr. Rogers wished to apply
6 to turn the witness hostile, there would be submissions to be made as to
7 whether this is a situation of hostility at all. But more importantly,
8 hostility, that's to say impeaching the witness on the basis that they're
9 not telling the truth, would require this witness to be given the
10 opportunity that you've offered him already and that he's claimed, namely
11 to be warned of his right to protection against self-incrimination for
12 the offence that that would involve, and the legal representation which
13 he's been offered and has sought to claim.
14 We're not yet at the impeachment stage, but what Mr. Rogers is in
15 fact trying to do is to impeach under cover of memory refreshing. And
16 for the reason I've already outlined, memory refreshing simply will not
17 do as an excuse in this current situation in the light of the testimony
18 that's been given. It's not at memory-refreshing situation. He's not
19 saying, My memory has faded. He's saying, Because of something that was
20 situational at the time, I could not give a reliable account then, and I
21 can't give a reliable account now. Nothing has changed.
22 That's the first point.
23 Secondly, insofar as the identification of Mr. Haradinaj as
24 having been present on the day when (redacted)
25 at the Jabllanice headquarters, whilst the witness originally said, I
Page 2428
1 cannot now remember for sure one way or another, he has now enhanced that
2 testimony by explaining that at the time that he saw the person he
3 believed to be Mr. Haradinaj present, he was "surrounded, protected,
4 surrounded by people" -- just give me one moment.
5 MR. ROGERS: I hate to the cut off Mr. Emmerson in his prime, but
6 I haven't actually made an application yet. And he appears to be
7 answering something that I haven't yet done.
8 MR. EMMERSON: Well, we'll see what -- I'm anticipating what the
9 form of the application is going to be, but perhaps if Mr. Rogers is in a
10 position to make it -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
11 JUDGE MOLOTO: I think you have made your anticipation.
12 Make your application, Mr. Rogers.
13 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, what I asked for was a little time to
14 identify - that was my application - to identify the passages that I wish
15 to rely upon, and to look at the -- what records we have of the answers
16 that were given during the course of testimony. Now, Mr. Emmerson's
17 picked on one, but I seem to recall that there were others that indicated
18 the witness wasn't now able to recall.
19 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can we just identify those portions that you want
20 to refresh the memory of the witness on. And once you have done that, I
21 think you are going to have to deal with whether that is memory
22 refreshing or impeachment in the sense in which Mr. Emmerson has put it.
23 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, yes. I appreciate that. But I want
24 some time to do that in the light of the -- it's all very well to --
25 [Overlapping speakers] ...
Page 2429
1 JUDGE MOLOTO: That's what I'm saying. Do it now.
2 MR. EMMERSON: [Microphone not activated] ...
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... just a second,
4 Mr. Emmerson.
5 Go ahead and identify those questions.
6 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, I'm going to sit down whilst I find
7 them, if Your Honours will allow me.
8 JUDGE MOLOTO: How long -- how much time do you need?
9 MR. ROGERS: Well, I just want to be accurate, because I know
10 what will happen if I don't get them accurately.
11 JUDGE MOLOTO: How long do you need to identify them?
12 MR. ROGERS: Could I ask for 15 minutes, please?
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: We'll take a short adjournment and come back in
14 15 minutes.
15 Court adjourned.
16 MR. ROGERS: Thank you.
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted)
19 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please move into closed session.
20 [Closed session]
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted)
Page 2430
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 Page 2430 redacted. Closed session.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Page 2431
1 (redacted)
2 (redacted)
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted)
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted)
7 (redacted)
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted)
12 (redacted)
13 (redacted)
14 [Private session] [Confidentiality partially lifted by order of the Chamber]
15 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're now in private
16 session.
17 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much, Madam Registrar.
18 Yes, Mr. Rogers.
19 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, there are two issues relating to the
20 presence and activity or participation of Mr. Haradinaj. I want to make
21 it clear I'm not confining myself to mere presence, but presence and
22 anything that the person may have done during the course of any one of
23 the incidents.
24 In relation to Count 1, there are prior statements from the
25 witness that identify Mr. Haradinaj as being present during the ear -- if
Page 2432
1 I can call it the ear-cutting incident. And I wish to take the witness
2 to those portions of his prior statements which deal with the presence of
3 Mr. Haradinaj during the ear-cutting incident.
4 And also there is a transcript of the -- of an interview
5 conducted by the Prosecution a form of proofing interview, if I can call
6 it that way, in which the incident again was also discussed, where the
7 witness also referred to the presence of Mr. Haradinaj during the
8 ear-cutting incident. (redacted)
9 (redacted)
10 (redacted)
11 (redacted), but they are --
12 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... but in all occasions
13 he's --
14 MR. ROGERS: On all occasions he --
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: But in both occasions he couldn't put Haradinaj on
16 the scene?
17 MR. ROGERS: Yes.
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 (redacted), and wish
21 to put before the Court what we say is -- is in the statement that was
22 previously given from the witness in which he said Mr. Haradinaj
23 participated in that activity and was part of it.
24 Now, of course, you've heard his accounts as we have gone
25 through. I have asked him whether he recalls the presence of
Page 2433
1 Mr. Haradinaj and he said he did not recall, did not remember, and
2 that's certainly --
3 (redacted)
4 (redacted).
5 (redacted)
6 (redacted). Count 1, he also says he didn't recall whether
7 anybody -- Mr. Haradinaj was there. That's Count 1.
8 (redacted)
9 (redacted). And -- but nevertheless he says,
10 I don't remember now what happened then. And we would say, when you look
11 at the prior statement, at the time that that prior statement was given
12 he clearly was in a position to recall, because he provided a -- an
13 account relating to that. His position today is not that different. His
14 position today, in a sense, is, I don't remember what happened, and he
15 gives a partial explanation, or another explanation, as my learned friend
16 would say, as to why that is the case. (redacted)
17 (redacted). He was
18 able to give an account that was different.
19 Your Honours, in any event, if we were to move on to the next
20 stage or to --
21 No, just let me finish, if you would be so kind. Just let me
22 finish.
23 If we were to move on to the next stage, which would -- one could
24 be an application to treat the witness as hostile, we have to go through
25 a memory-refreshing process first to give the witness the opportunity to
Page 2434
1 look at the prior statements and comment on whether it does refresh his
2 memory or not refresh his memory, because the Appeals Chamber has
3 indicated that is the correct process.
4 So, in order to get to stage 2, which we may never have to reach,
5 because when the witness is shown his prior statements, he can speak
6 about them and give an explanation as to why something that he signed is
7 different from what appears to be his account now that he can't remember.
8 And he may say, Oh, now I've looked at the thing, it's all come flooding
9 back to me. I don't know what he's going to say. But we must at least
10 go through that process, to give him the opportunity to comment upon or
11 see what it is that he said previously in the normal way. You made a
12 prior statement -- or I haven't laid the foundations yet. I haven't
13 asked because my learned friend, and I raised it with him earlier, and I
14 respected what we agreed, which is I wouldn't go into laying a foundation
15 for a memory-refreshing application because that -- we -- we wanted to
16 raise it first.
17 Now, suddenly we have developed into a full-blown application at
18 this stage when, in fact, the foundation hasn't even been laid, because
19 we don't know whether the witness would agree he saw he had a statement,
20 he saw it, he signed it. He can at least be shown the front piece of the
21 statement and said, you know, (redacted), did you make a statement?
22 Yes. Was it read back to you? Yes. Did you understand it? Assuming.
23 Yes. You signed it? Et cetera.
24 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Rogers, might just -- you are saying you
25 are -- you want to refresh the witness's memory? I just want to remind
Page 2435
1 you that you in your own submissions now have thrown in terms like
2 "previous inconsistent statements" or "previous statements." And I've
3 tried to listen to you very carefully. I've tried to remember that the
4 evidence as I've heard it today from the witness, sitting as I -- where I
5 am, (redacted)
6 (redacted). That's something that we'll look at later. But looking at what
7 the witness has said today and yesterday, I see more of -- for -- judging
8 from what you are saying, I see more of previous inconsistent statements
9 rather than memory refreshing. And I'm just saying, if you're going to
10 do what you are going to do, you've got to be prepared to take the
11 consequences of --
12 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour --
13 JUDGE MOLOTO: I'm not -- it's not a threat. I'm just saying to
14 you that I'm not quite sure I understand this is memory refreshing.
15 MR. ROGERS: Your Honour, it is memory refreshing, as I want to
16 show to the witness something that he said previously about incident that
17 he has testified he cannot remember about now, and that's all he's done.
18 He said, I can't remember about Count 1, which is the ear-cutting
19 incident. I can't remember whether --
20 JUDGE HALL: If I might interrupt, Mr. Rogers. (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted). What we're hearing is the witness's
24 account of what happens as he recalls. And as Mr. Emmerson -- the
25 distinction Mr. Emmerson made in his first response, when you adumbrated
Page 2436
1 what you were about to do, is that this is not a case where the witness,
2 today, is saying that he can't recall, as I just understood you to have
3 recount-- represented the witness to say. What he said today is that on
4 the occasion I was not in a position to observe this.
5 MR. ROGERS: But in relation to the first incident, that's not
6 what he's -- oh.
7 [Trial Chamber confers]
8 MR. EMMERSON: Would it assist Your Honours to have copies of the
9 LiveNote transcript of the relevant passage which has just been provided
10 to us from The Hague?
11 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... it might just be --
12 MR. EMMERSON: Yes. That's the passage of the transcript where
13 the witness was dealing with today's evidence. The passage where he
14 dealt with his memory of the ear-cutting incident, I'm afraid I've only
15 got one copy of, and it's page 39 of the transcript. I'll read it to
16 Your Honours. And this is Mr. Rogers answering [sic] the question.
17 "I want to ask you specifically whether you recall seeing
18 Mr. Haradinaj present during the course of that incident. ...
19 Mr. Haradinaj, I mean Ramush Haradinaj.
20 "A. I don't recall. A long time has passed. I don't know. I'm
21 not concern."
22 What he then did, as Your Honours will see, is to qualify that by
23 saying that on the occasion when he was present --
24 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... read that
25 qualification.
Page 2437
1 MR. EMMERSON: Read it again?
2 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... you say you'll see
3 that he qualifies --
4 MR. EMMERSON: Yes, you'll see in that passage -- well, it's
5 quite a complicated link to draw. In that passage he said that on the
6 occasion when (redacted), he was unable to see
7 Mr. Haradinaj clearly because he was surrounded by people and he only got
8 a glimpse of him. The important point being that when go you to the
9 witness statement, he gave an entirely different account of when the
10 ear-cutting incident happened, saying that it happened on the same
11 occasion (redacted), an occasion on which he
12 now says the man he thought was Haradinaj was surrounded by other people.
13 So the notion that that can be used as a member refreshing
14 document in the circumstances of such an account, which has changed so
15 fundamentally, because the original account was that the ear-cutting took
16 place (redacted),
17 that is the occasion on which he now says he was looking at a man
18 surrounded by other people and barely got a glimpse of him.
19 Now, I can take you, if I need to in response, to the relevant
20 passages of that witness statement that Mr. Rogers is seeking to rely on.
21 But Your Honours can take it from me that he -- (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted), and that is
Page 2438
1 the incident he's just said he only caught a brief glimpse of
2 Mr. Haradinaj surrounded by other people.
3 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, Mr. Emmerson seeks to make submissions
4 which effectively are matters that should be dealt with during the course
5 of cross-examination about prior inconsistencies of dates and times and
6 events. What is quite clear is that this witness has only ever described
7 one ear-cutting incident. And the question is: Was this accused present
8 or not during the course of that ear-cutting incident.
9 And Mr. Emmerson can go up hill and down with the different days
10 and accounts and events and all those other matters. The simple question
11 is, is when the ear was cut off, was he there or wasn't he?
12 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated]
13 MR. ROGERS: The witness has consistently stated --
14 JUDGE MOLOTO: What did he tell us today about -- about --
15 [Overlapping speakers] ...
16 MR. ROGERS: He can't remember. And he said today, when I asked
17 him specifically:
18 "I want to ask you specifically whether you recall seeing
19 Mr. Haradinaj being present during the course of that incident.
20 "I don't recall. A long time has passed. I don't know. I'm not
21 certain."
22 Q. And that's precisely the part that my learned friend has just
23 identified for you. What he tries to do is --
24 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... what -- what -- where on
25 the transcript is that?
Page 2439
1 MR. ROGERS: I don't have a page reference, Your Honour. I'm
2 sorry. I'm just got -- I have got an unpaginated version, but that's
3 what he said.
4 JUDGE MOLOTO: Because Mr. Emmerson referred us to page 39, and
5 we've been given a document that starts at page 53.
6 MR. ROGERS: I don't think there's any dispute about what was
7 said.
8 MR. EMMERSON: I can get copies printed out for Your Honours.
9 The question, I'll read it again:
10 "I want to ask you specifically whether you recall seeing
11 Mr. Haradinaj being present during the course of that incident. ...
12 Mr. Haradinaj, I mean Ramush Haradinaj."
13 This is the ear-cutting incident.
14 "A. I don't recall. A long time has passed. I don't know. I'm
15 not certain."
16 The point I was trying to drive home to Your Honours is that in
17 the passage which you do have the transcript of he goes on to say that on
18 the occasion (redacted) --
19 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Overlapping speakers] ... and when -- what is the
20 reference in this transcript?
21 MR. EMMERSON: You'll find that, Your Honours, at transcript
22 page 50 -- sorry. I'm so sorry. 56.
23 On the first occasion that you saw -- line 3.
24 "On the first occasion that you saw Ramush Haradinaj at
25 Jabllanice --"
Page 2440
1 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, forgive me, could I have one that's
2 been paginated? Because I haven't got one, and everyone else seems to
3 have got one. And it's a bit difficult for us to follow.
4 MR. EMMERSON: Of course. We're printing one more. Just --
5 MR. ROGERS: Can we print it and then see it, and then I can
6 follow the argument and I can respond fairly.
7 MR. EMMERSON: So, Your Honour, on page 56:
8 "On the first occasion that you saw Ramush Haradinaj at
9 Jabllanice, which I understand was the occasion (redacted)
10 (redacted), how was he
11 being treated by other officers or commanders of the KLA? How were they
12 treating him?
13 "It was the first time for me to see him. They referred to him
14 as commander, which means that he was protected by people who stood
15 around him. He was so much protected, but there was very little of him I
16 could see."
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted). And when you look to the
19 witness statement which Mr. Rogers wants to put to him, when you look to
20 the witness statement Mr. Rogers wants to put to him, in that witness
21 statement, at paragraphs 9 through to 15, he describes the ear-cutting
22 incident in detail as having taken place on that very occasion, which is
23 obviously different from the testimony he's given here.
24 But the point is: You cannot use a witness statement to refresh a
25 witness's memory about an event which is different in time from the one
Page 2441
1 that he is now saying was the occasion on which the incident happened.
2 He now says it happened (redacted). And when he has
3 already said that he couldn't get a proper view of the person he said --
4 he was describing as Mr. Haradinaj, and now says that he can't be sure
5 that the person -- Mr. Haradinaj was present. There's certainly not a
6 foundation capable of being there.
7 And whilst Mr. Rogers says the foundational questions haven't
8 been asked, in fact they have been asked. They've been asked and
9 answered by the witness. In relation to the second incident,
10 Your Honours already have the point. In relation to the first incident,
11 that is the point. And he's given an explanation in both cases, which
12 makes memory refreshing impossible. We can deal with impeachment once
13 Your Honours have ruled on that.
14 [Trial Chamber confers]
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: The Chamber will allow you to refresh the
16 witness's memory on the ear-cutting incident where the witness says he
17 doesn't remember.
18 On the other one, the Chamber refuses your application,
19 Mr. Rogers.
20 MR. EMMERSON: Can I ask Your Honours that when the relevant
21 passage is put to him, that it's put in full, from paragraphs 9 through,
22 so that the context is clear.
23 JUDGE MOLOTO: You will have an opportunity to do that,
24 Mr. Emmerson, when you cross-examine him.
25 MR. EMMERSON: Well, with respect, it needs to be done now, as
Page 2442
1 part of laying the foundation for memory refreshing.
2 JUDGE MOLOTO: Can Mr. Rogers conduct his prosecution of his case
3 unassisted by the Defence, Mr. Emmerson.
4 MR. EMMERSON: No, with respect - and perhaps we should just
5 pause for a moment and take a breath - I have the right to make
6 representations as to the manner in which the evidential foundation is
7 properly to be laid in the course of memory refreshing. It would be
8 unfair, and we would object to it, for you to permit the Prosecutor to
9 selectively quote, unfairly and misleadingly and out of context, from the
10 witness statement. I will object to it.
11 JUDGE MOLOTO: Mr. Emmerson, will you please object as and when
12 the Prosecutor misquotes and selectively quotes.
13 Mr. Rogers.
14 MR. ROGERS: Well, Your Honour, I think we need the witness.
15 JUDGE MOLOTO: May the Chamber please move into closed session,
16 if we are not.
17 [Closed session]
18 (redacted)
19 (redacted)
20 (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted)
Page 2443
1 [Open session]
2 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're in open
3 session.
4 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you so much.
5 Yes, Mr. Rogers.
6 MR. ROGERS:
7 Q. Mr. Witness, do you recall providing a witness statement to the
8 Prosecution in (redacted)? You signed it in (redacted), but it was
9 following on from interviews in (redacted).
10 Do you remember doing that?
11 A. I believe it was in (redacted). That's what you are asking
12 me about?
13 Q. Let me just show you a document. It's 65 ter 03046. And there
14 should be an Albanian version with it.
15 Do you see the Albanian version, Mr. Witness? Yes? I wonder if
16 you could just -- in front of that green tab, you've got a green page
17 there, on the left-hand side. On the other side is the signed version of
18 the statement. Can you just see that? And have a look. And do you see
19 what is page 12 of the statement? Can you see that?
20 A. Yes, yes.
21 Q. [Previous translation continues] ... is -- is that -- is that
22 your signature?
23 A. Yes. It appears so, but it seems rather different. But I don't
24 understand. Can you please let me read it or tell me what is it -- what
25 it is about?
Page 2444
1 Q. Yes. I'll let you look at the -- the Albanian version in a
2 moment. I just want to clarify the signatures.
3 We see the date there the (redacted). Do you see
4 that? And if you just turn --
5 A. Yes.
6 Q. Thank you. And if you just turn through the pages till you get
7 to the front page, you'll see there are some initials on the bottom of
8 each page on the left-hand side in the original signed version. That's
9 it. Just turn it to the -- towards the front. Just turn each page over
10 and look for the initials, would you?
11 That's it.
12 And do you see at the bottom there are some initials on each
13 page? Can you see the initials?
14 A. Yes.
15 Q. And are those -- are those initials that you made and signed?
16 Through the whole statement, from the back to the front, and look at each
17 page to see if there are some initials.
18 Can you confirm that the initials on those pages are yours and
19 that you made them?
20 A. I -- I don't know what to say. I have signed things, but I
21 cannot say what you are asking me about. I want to know. Shouldn't
22 simply stay here, but you should explain to me why, what.
23 Q. I just want to confirm with you that you signed a statement that
24 you provided to the ICTY investigators in -- signed on the
25 (redacted). I just want to ask you if you remember doing
Page 2445
1 that, and the document that you have is a document that has your
2 signature on it and is initialed by you on each page.
3 Just confirm that you did provide that statement to the ICTY.
4 I'll come and deal with the translation of it in a moment. But just can
5 you confirm you did provide that written statement?
6 [Microphone not activated] ... did provide the written statement?
7 A. I gave only an oral statement, not a written statement.
8 Q. Of the document that you have in front of you --
9 MR. ROGERS: Could the bundle be given to me, please.
10 Davor, could you just stay there with the witness. Thanks.
11 Q. Mr. Witness, I'm now showing you the first page, the front sheet
12 of the statement. Can you see, at the bottom of it, a signature? Is
13 your signature on that page?
14 A. Yes, yes.
15 (redacted)
16 (redacted)
17 (redacted)
18 (redacted). Do you see that? Is that a mark that you made? Initials --
19 yes, thank you.
20 A. Yes, yes.
21 Q. And at the bottom of the page --
22 A. Yes, yes.
23 Q. -- can you see the -- okay. Just turn over each page, please,
24 and confirm that you initialed the bottom of each of those pages.
25 A. Yes.
Page 2446
1 Q. When you get to that page, then stop. And you'll see your
2 signature again in the middle and a date of the (redacted) --
3 (redacted); is that right? It's your signature and a date; is
4 that right?
5 A. Yes.
6 Q. Thank you.
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. Now just turn over till you get to the green page again, please.
9 Keep going till you get to the green page. All right. Turn over the
10 green page.
11 What you're now looking at is a translation of the statement that
12 you provided, which was originally in English, okay? So just have a look
13 at the front page and you'll see all the details set out there of how and
14 when the statement was taken. Just have a look at that. Just look at it
15 and read it, that front page.
16 Do you see there the details your --
17 JUDGE MOLOTO: Just a second, Mr. Rogers.
18 May the Chamber please move into private session for a while.
19 [Private session]
20 (redacted)
21 (redacted)
22 (redacted)
23 (redacted)
24 (redacted)
25 (redacted)
Page 2447
1 (redacted)
2 (redacted)
3 (redacted)
4 [Open session]
5 THE REGISTRAR: [Via videolink] Your Honours, we're back in open
6 session.
7 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much, Madam Court Officer.
8 Yes, Mr. Rogers, you may proceed.
9 MR. ROGERS: Thank you.
10 Q. Now, Mr. Witness, on the front sheet there that you have
11 translated, can we confirm that it contains your name, your date of
12 birth, and information about when and where the interview took place?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. And can you confirm that information as being correct, please.
15 A. Yes.
16 Q. Thank you. Now, at the time that you provided that statement,
17 was your memory better about the events that took place in 1998 than it
18 is today?
19 A. I said that a very long time has passed for me to remember
20 everything. And knowing that, my situation, I told you on the first day
21 that I'm not in a position to remember everything, because a long time
22 has passed.
23 Q. Do --
24 A. I think you should understand my predicament, that I am not in
25 the situation I was 15 years ago.
Page 2448
1 Q. No, we understand that. But (redacted), when you were providing
2 this statement, was your memory better then, do you think, than at the
3 time you're giving your evidence today?
4 A. But even at the time that I gave the statement I might have made
5 some mistakes because I was under pressure, I was under threats. The
6 gentleman who has taken this statement knows about the threats made
7 against me. Some assassination attempts were staged against me. He
8 knows very well. The police know that too. The Hague Tribunal know what
9 I went through. I may have made some mistakes. Please explain to me
10 where the problem lies.
11 Q. Well, Mr. Witness, let me take you -- I will explain where the
12 problem lies.
13 Can I take you to paragraph 15 of the statement, please.
14 MR. EMMERSON: I don't think we've got an answer to the critical
15 memory-refreshing question, which is: Was your member better then than
16 (redacted)
17 MR. ROGERS:
18 Q. Mr. Witness, were the events fresher in your memory in two-- in
19 your mind --
20 JUDGE DELVOIE: Mr. Emmerson, I think we got a clear answer. I
21 think we got a clear answer in the first answer the witness gave.
22 MR. EMMERSON: With respect, Your Honour, the question was asked
23 once and the answer was: A very long time has passed for me to remember.
24 (redacted). The critical
25 question on which any memory-refreshing exercise has to be founded is:
Page 2449
1 Was your memory better at the time that the statement was made of those
2 events or is it better now? And there's no necessary corollary merely
3 from the chronological passage of time, because things may affect
4 people's ability to remember, which pass with time.
5 JUDGE DELVOIE: I heard an answer to that question, Mr. Emmerson.
6 If you didn't, then we have --
7 MR. EMMERSON: [Overlapping speakers] ... perhaps we can check the
8 transcript. What was the answer again, please?
9 JUDGE DELVOIE: No, I don't -- I don't think so.
10 MR. EMMERSON: Could Your Honour indicate what answer it was you
11 heard?
12 JUDGE DELVOIE: I don't have the transcript.
13 MR. EMMERSON: What was the answer? Sorry, I'm just trying to --
14 so that we can check the note.
15 JUDGE DELVOIE: I don't know.
16 MR. EMMERSON: I'm sorry, Your Honour indicated there was a clear
17 answer. Might I inquire what Your Honour thinks the clear answer was.
18 JUDGE DELVOIE: The clear answer was yes.
19 MR. EMMERSON: Your Honour thinks the word "yes" is on the
20 transcript?
21 JUDGE DELVOIE: No.
22 MR. EMMERSON: What is it that Your Honour thinks was the clear
23 answer?
24 JUDGE DELVOIE: I don't have the transcript before me,
25 Mr. Emmerson -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
Page 2450
1 MR. EMMERSON: Well, I can get it to Your Honour.
2 JUDGE DELVOIE: And I don't --
3 MR. EMMERSON: I'm very happy to provide it.
4 JUDGE DELVOIE: -- and I don't -- I don't want to go into this.
5 This is my opinion -- [Overlapping speakers] ...
6 MR. EMMERSON: I'm sure Your Honour would like to check your
7 recollection against the transcript.
8 JUDGE DELVOIE: This is what I heard. No. No, I'm not a
9 witness.
10 MR. EMMERSON: No, you're not a witness. But if you have a
11 recollection, would you like to check it against the transcript?
12 JUDGE DELVOIE: Could we stop this, Mr. Emmerson?
13 MR. EMMERSON: I'm simply asking a question, Your Honour.
14 JUDGE DELVOIE: Could we stop --
15 MR. EMMERSON: Respectfully.
16 JUDGE DELVOIE: Could we stop this, Mr. Emmerson? Please stop.
17 MR. EMMERSON: Well, I -- my submission is the question hasn't
18 been answered. I would invite a ruling of the Chamber on that question.
19 JUDGE DELVOIE: And I understood. I understood.
20 MR. EMMERSON: I would invite a ruling of the Chamber on the
21 question, not one member of the bench, and I'd like to have it done by
22 reference to the transcript, if necessary.
23 MR. ROGERS: I think the question is whether the Bench is
24 satisfied that the witness has provided an answer which indicates that
25 his memory was different -- better then than it is now. Having regard to
Page 2451
1 the totality of what he said.
2 [Trial Chamber confers]
3 JUDGE MOLOTO: I'm going to ask Judge Hall to respond on behalf
4 of the Bench.
5 JUDGE HALL: Thank you, Judge Moloto.
6 As we understand the issue that is now in contention and which
7 Mr. Emmerson raises, that is, the -- the necessity to have -- for there
8 to be on the record a clear answer to the -- what is, in our view, the
9 formal question as to whether the witness's memory was better at an
10 earlier point in time when the statement on which the other side seeks to
11 rely was better than it is now, and it is the Chamber's view that
12 whatever answer the witness gives, it is -- whereas it may be -- form the
13 foundation for future submissions, is not necessary to enable counsel who
14 is relying on it to proceed. And in our view, Mr. Rogers may proceed and
15 ask the question. Because the foundation, sufficient foundation, has
16 been laid to put the -- to have the witness refresh his memory from the
17 relevant paragraph.
18 MR. ROGERS: Thank you, Your Honour.
19 Q. Now, Mr. Witness, would you kindly turn to what is paragraph 15
20 of the Albanian version of the statement.
21 MR. EMMERSON: I object, as I said I would, for it being taken
22 out of context. It needs to be read from paragraph 9 onwards for the
23 witness to be fairly asked questions about this passage.
24 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, perhaps this needs to be dealt with in
25 the absence of the witness. I don't think we should be debating this in
Page 2452
1 front of him.
2 JUDGE MOLOTO: We're not going to do that, Mr. Rogers. The
3 objection is overruled.
4 MR. ROGERS: Thank you.
5 JUDGE MOLOTO: And Mr. Emmerson will raise paragraph 9 when his
6 time comes.
7 MR. ROGERS: Thank you.
8 Q. Mr. Witness, look at paragraph 15, would you. And can you see --
9 just read that paragraph, if you would, to yourself. Don't read it out.
10 A. Is it possible to help me what is at issue in this paragraph?
11 Q. Yes, I will. But I want you to read it first to yourself so that
12 you have familiarized yourself with the content of that paragraph. And
13 then I'll ask you my question.
14 So just read it. Tell me when you finished reading it.
15 Paragraph 15. It starts -- refers to a young boy. Do you see that?
16 Something between 15 and 18. Just to make sure you're looking at the
17 right paragraph.
18 Have you -- do you see that?
19 A. I haven't found it. I don't know where it is. Is it possible
20 that someone helps me to show where the paragraph is?
21 JUDGE MOLOTO: [Microphone not activated] ... witness, are you
22 able to find paragraph number 15?
23 THE WITNESS: Paragraph 15? Okay.
24 MR. ROGERS:
25 Q. Do you see that?
Page 2453
1 A. [Interpretation] Yes.
2 Q. And are you able to read that paragraph in Albanian? Is it
3 something you can read comfortably?
4 A. Yes, yes.
5 Q. Now, do you see it refers to a young boy, something between
6 15 and 18. I just want to make sure you've got the right paragraph.
7 Do you have that paragraph?
8 A. Yes, I do. I'm reading it.
9 Q. Read it to the end and tell me when you've got to the end,
10 please. The end of the paragraph.
11 A. I read it.
12 Q. Now, Mr. Witness, you'll recall that I asked you earlier whether
13 you remembered whether Mr. Haradinaj was present during the course of
14 that incident.
15 Now you've had a chance to look at that paragraph, can you help,
16 please, with whether you now recall whether Mr. Haradinaj was present
17 during the course of that incident, now you've had a chance to read what
18 you said (redacted)?
19 A. I said earlier what I remember, that there are some things that I
20 don't understand in detail. I know that Togeri was present in that
21 incident; Idriz Balaj.
22 As to Haradinaj, I said I don't recall. I recall that I have
23 seen him several times, but I don't recall seeing him in this incident in
24 question. I don't know why I gave this statement. When, sorry, I gave
25 this ...
Page 2454
1 I said that he was in that place several times. In that staff, I
2 saw him, Haradinaj.
3 Q. Just look, if you would, please, at the last -- the very last
4 sentence of that paragraph?
5 MR. EMMERSON: I think, if I may say so, that is the end of a
6 memory-refreshing document. The witness has given his answer. This is
7 now seeking to impeach the answer the witness has just given.
8 MR. ROGERS: I haven't asked a question yet.
9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Overruled.
10 Carry on, Mr. Rogers.
11 MR. ROGERS:
12 Q. Just have a look at that last sentence, if you would, please, of
13 that paragraph, and see what you have said there (redacted).
14 A. I am saying it. Maybe I said it. I said that he has been there
15 on several occasions, but -- but now I don't remember.
16 JUDGE MOLOTO: Witness, does that sentence, last sentence, not
17 remind you of how you remembered things taking place at the time you
18 wrote this statement?
19 MR. EMMERSON: I'm sorry, I object to the form of the question.
20 The question isn't whether -- how he remembered things at the time of the
21 statement. The question is, having seen the statement, whether he now
22 remembers, having had his memory refreshed.
23 JUDGE MOLOTO: Indeed.
24 Do you now remember, now that your memory has been refreshed,
25 sir?
Page 2455
1 THE WITNESS: [Interpretation] Your Honour, I said this before.
2 At the time I was under pressure. I have given many statements. Now I
3 don't remember that I have said it in this way. But now I'm telling the
4 truth, that in some instances he has been there and that he was the
5 commander of Dukagjin Plain. Haradin [as interpreted] was the commander.
6 I am not saying that he was part of that massacre. I don't know that I
7 have said that. I don't know why that is here. I am telling the truth,
8 and so far I have been telling the truth.
9 JUDGE MOLOTO: Thank you very much. Answered.
10 Mr. Rogers.
11 MR. ROGERS: Your Honours, I'm conscious of the time, and I have
12 to now deal with some of the other statements that he has made, and I may
13 wish to make a further application, so -- but we're out of time for now.
14 JUDGE MOLOTO: We are, indeed, out of time for now. I thought
15 you made your application for two incidents and we said that we grant you
16 the -- your application on the one incident and not on the other.
17 MR. ROGERS: Yes, I understand that. But there may be--
18 JUDGE MOLOTO: So you have further applications to make?
19 MR. ROGERS: There may be a further application I wish to make
20 tomorrow.
21 JUDGE MOLOTO: Fair enough. Thank you so much. You may be
22 seated.
23 May the Chamber please move into closed session.
24 [Closed session]
25 (redacted)
Page 2456
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11 Pages 2456-2457 redacted. Closed session.
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Page 2458
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