Trial Chamber wants restrictions on Šešelj lifted

The Hague Tribunal Trial Chamber responsible for the case against Vojislav Seselj wants restrictions lifted on the his phone calls. A resumption of monitoring Seselj’s conversations with his legal advisers would prevent him from putting up an effective defense, and would impinge on his right to a just trial, said the Trial Chamber. Trial Chamber wants restrictions on Seselj lifted The statement signed by Judge Jean Claude Antonetti (presiding) says that in view of the cases that are ongoing at the European Court of Human Rights, the Trial Chamber called on Tribunal Secretary Hans Holthuis “to carry out the consequences of these arguments.” In so doing, the Trial Chamber effectively advised the Secretariat against resuming “communication checks” after the expiry of the measures in December. The Secretariat’s decision to monitor Seselj’s calls applied initially until the end of November, though it remains unclear whether the measures have been extended. Holthuis has opposed the Trial Chamber’s request and called on Tribunal President Patrick Robinson to react. He claims that the Trial Chamber has no jurisdiction over the custody unit in Scheveningen, which was why he wanted Robinson to give his opinion. The measures against Seselj were introduced in late September, after it became public knowledge that the war crimes suspect had been abusing his telephone privileges to deal with Serb Radical Party (SRS) matters and other conversations totally unrelated to the preparation of his defense. It was also believed that he was using the calls to tamper or intimidate witnesses. Seselj subsequently claimed that he no longer discussed the trial with his legal advisers, only the political situation and private matters. The SRS leader is accused of war crimes against non-Serbs in Croatia, Vojvodina and Bosnia-Hercegovina between 1991 and 1993.

Trial Chamber wants restrictions on Šešelj lifted

The statement signed by Judge Jean Claude Antonetti (presiding) says that in view of the cases that are ongoing at the European Court of Human Rights, the Trial Chamber called on Tribunal Secretary Hans Holthuis “to carry out the consequences of these arguments.”

In so doing, the Trial Chamber effectively advised the Secretariat against resuming “communication checks” after the expiry of the measures in December.

The Secretariat’s decision to monitor Šešelj’s calls applied initially until the end of November, though it remains unclear whether the measures have been extended.

Holthuis has opposed the Trial Chamber’s request and called on Tribunal President Patrick Robinson to react.

He claims that the Trial Chamber has no jurisdiction over the custody unit in Scheveningen, which was why he wanted Robinson to give his opinion.

The measures against Šešelj were introduced in late September, after it became public knowledge that the war crimes suspect had been abusing his telephone privileges to deal with Serb Radical Party (SRS) matters and other conversations totally unrelated to the preparation of his defense. It was also believed that he was using the calls to tamper or intimidate witnesses.

Šešelj subsequently claimed that he no longer discussed the trial with his legal advisers, only the political situation and private matters.

The SRS leader is accused of war crimes against non-Serbs in Croatia, Vojvodina and Bosnia-Hercegovina between 1991 and 1993.