Kosovo Six trial all over

The Hague trial of former Serbian President Milan Milutinović has come to an end.

Izvor: Beta

Thursday, 28.08.2008.

12:07

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The Hague trial of former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic has come to an end. Judge Ian Bonomy (presiding) said that the verdict would be delivered “as soon as possible“. Milutinovic, together with then Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic, Generals Dragoljub Ojdanic, Nebojsa Pavkovic, Vladimir Lazarevic and Sreten Lukic are charged with the forced displacement, deportation, murder and persecution of Kosovo Albanians in the first half of 1999. Kosovo Six trial all over During yesterday’s hearing, Prosecutor Tom Harris and the defense counsels of the six accused exchanged additional arguments following the lengthy closing statements that they gave this week and last. “The Trial Chamber will now retire and begin to deliberate immediately. We will deliver the verdict and announce it as soon as possible. The date of the verdict will be announced later,“ said Bonomy. In their closing statements, the prosecution claimed that it had proven the guilt of all the accused and called on them to be sentenced to prison terms of between 20 years and life. According to Harris, the evidence showed that Milutinovic and his co-accused had been participants in a “joint criminal undertaking“ whose aim had been “the change of the ethnic balance in Kosovo“ by driving out the Albanians with a view to retaining “lasting Serbian control over the province“. The defense counsels countered that there was no proof of the defendants’ guilt, hence the Trial Chamber was obliged to acquit them. According to the defense, it had been proven during the trial that there had been no “joint criminal undertaking“, nor any plan to drive out the Albanians, and that the accused could not have been conscious participants in its application. The trial of the so-called Kosovo Six began on July 10, 2006. During the trial, the prosecution brought forward 112 witnesses, and the defense 120. Sainovic and Ojdanic have been in Tribunal custody since spring 2002, and Milutinovic since January 2003, when they surrendered voluntarily. Generals Pavkovic, Lazarevic and Lukic turned themselves in in 2005.

Kosovo Six trial all over

During yesterday’s hearing, Prosecutor Tom Harris and the defense counsels of the six accused exchanged additional arguments following the lengthy closing statements that they gave this week and last.

“The Trial Chamber will now retire and begin to deliberate immediately. We will deliver the verdict and announce it as soon as possible. The date of the verdict will be announced later,“ said Bonomy.

In their closing statements, the prosecution claimed that it had proven the guilt of all the accused and called on them to be sentenced to prison terms of between 20 years and life.

According to Harris, the evidence showed that Milutinović and his co-accused had been participants in a “joint criminal undertaking“ whose aim had been “the change of the ethnic balance in Kosovo“ by driving out the Albanians with a view to retaining “lasting Serbian control over the province“.

The defense counsels countered that there was no proof of the defendants’ guilt, hence the Trial Chamber was obliged to acquit them.

According to the defense, it had been proven during the trial that there had been no “joint criminal undertaking“, nor any plan to drive out the Albanians, and that the accused could not have been conscious participants in its application.

The trial of the so-called Kosovo Six began on July 10, 2006. During the trial, the prosecution brought forward 112 witnesses, and the defense 120.

Šainović and Ojdanić have been in Tribunal custody since spring 2002, and Milutinović since January 2003, when they surrendered voluntarily. Generals Pavković, Lazarević and Lukić turned themselves in in 2005.

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