Mladić helpers trial adjourned indefinitely

The trial of 12 people accused of aiding and abetting the hiding of Ratko Mladic has been adjourned indefinitely. The decision has been taken for two reasons; three of the accused are unable to attend the trial; furthermore, the Second District Court in Belgrade has declared the matter outwith its jurisdiction. Mladic helpers trial adjourned indefinitely Presiding Judge Dejan Dobrosavljevic said at the hearing that the Court had already submitted a proposal to make such a declaration, following the latest amendments and supplements to the Law on Organization and Powers of State Institutions in War Crimes Proceedings, that places jurisdiction for the trials of those suspected of harbouring Hague Tribunal fugitives within the hands of the District Court. The amendments mean that even ongoing trials can be transferred to the competent court, which has not been the case up to now. First accused Jovo Djogo, Tatjana Vaskovic and Ratko Vucetic did not attend today’s hearing. In the opinion of forensics expert Dusan Dunjic, Djogo will not be in any condition to attend for another eight months owing to health problems. Djogo’s lawyer Djordje Kalanj said that his client had undergone two pancreatic operations in March at the Military-Medical Academy in Belgrade, and that he had been receiving chemotherapy since September. Vaskovic submitted medical documentation via her lawyer that she was on maternity leave, while Vucetic informed the court that he was currently at a rehabilitation clinic in Banja Koviljac. The prosecution had no new proposals today, while the court returned Sasa Badnjar his Bosnian passport. Judge Dobrosavljevic stated that a witness, Mileva Ivanovic, the mother of one of the accused, had passed away on November 10. In the opinion of her son’s lawyer, Svetozar Vujacic, she was “the first victim of this staged political process.“ The previous hearing took place on June 7, when the court rejected a prosecution motion to split the charges, explaining that Djogo was cited in each indictment, and that it was inexpedient to divide the process. Thus far, all the defendants, save retired officer Marko Lugonja, who admitted hiding Mladic in his flat for five or six days in 2002, have denied the charges. Alongside Djogo, Lugonja and Vaskovic in the dock are Stanko Ristic, Blagoje Govedarica, Ljiljana Vaskovic, Sasa Badnjar, Predrag Ristic, Ratko Vucetic, Borisav Ivanovic and Bojan Vaskovic. They are accused of harbouring Mladic for an “extended period“, even though they knew the Hague prosecution has brought 15 charges against him.

Mladić helpers trial adjourned indefinitely

Presiding Judge Dejan Dobrosavljević said at the hearing that the Court had already submitted a proposal to make such a declaration, following the latest amendments and supplements to the Law on Organization and Powers of State Institutions in War Crimes Proceedings, that places jurisdiction for the trials of those suspected of harbouring Hague Tribunal fugitives within the hands of the District Court.

The amendments mean that even ongoing trials can be transferred to the competent court, which has not been the case up to now.

First accused Jovo Đogo, Tatjana Vasković and Ratko Vučetić did not attend today’s hearing.

In the opinion of forensics expert Dušan Dunjić, Đogo will not be in any condition to attend for another eight months owing to health problems.

Đogo’s lawyer Đorđe Kalanj said that his client had undergone two pancreatic operations in March at the Military-Medical Academy in Belgrade, and that he had been receiving chemotherapy since September.

Vasković submitted medical documentation via her lawyer that she was on maternity leave, while Vučetić informed the court that he was currently at a rehabilitation clinic in Banja Koviljač.

The prosecution had no new proposals today, while the court returned Saša Badnjar his Bosnian passport.

Judge Dobrosavljević stated that a witness, Mileva Ivanović, the mother of one of the accused, had passed away on November 10. In the opinion of her son’s lawyer, Svetozar Vujačić, she was “the first victim of this staged political process.“

The previous hearing took place on June 7, when the court rejected a prosecution motion to split the charges, explaining that Đogo was cited in each indictment, and that it was inexpedient to divide the process.

Thus far, all the defendants, save retired officer Marko Lugonja, who admitted hiding Mladić in his flat for five or six days in 2002, have denied the charges.

Alongside Đogo, Lugonja and Vasković in the dock are Stanko Ristić, Blagoje Govedarica, Ljiljana Vasković, Saša Badnjar, Predrag Ristić, Ratko Vučetić, Borisav Ivanović and Bojan Vasković.

They are accused of harbouring Mladić for an “extended period“, even though they knew the Hague prosecution has brought 15 charges against him.