Karadžić wants more time to prepare

Radovan Karadzic wants the continuation of his trial to be postponed so that he could have more time to prepare his defense. The trial before the Hague Tribunal is scheduled to reconvene on March 1. Karadzic wants more time to prepare Karadzic said that he was not able to prepare because the court secretariat did not give his defense team the necessary funds, and he was not allowed to pick his own attorney. The former Republic of Srpska president is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity committed against Muslims and Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1991 and 1993. He is also accused of holding an international hostage. Karadzic, who is defending himself, did not mention how long of a postponement he requires. He stated that the trial secretariat stopped financing his eight legal advisers, assistants and investigations against regulations. He has appealed the decision and a ruling on the matter is expected from Tribunal President Patrick Robinson. Karadzic added that at the end of 2009, in a similar situation, Judge Robinson approved the added money for his defense team, mentioning that the secretariat’s decision was unreasonable. Karadzic is asking that the trial be postponed until Robinson makes a decision on the matter. If Robinson confirms the decision of the secretariat, then “there might not be a need to postpone the trial, but it is “not likely” that Karadzic “will participate in the trial in which he must face the prosecution and all of its resources with one member in his team, without advisers and investigators. Such a trial would be a farce,” the defense stated. In the meantime, the prosecution has given Karadzic’s team another 300,000 pages of documentation and submitted a demand for introducing another 2,000 pages, which has caused Karadzic to “fall even further behind.” The trial before the Hague Tribunal began on October 26, 2009 with the opening statements of the prosecution. Karadzic boycotted participation, stating that he was not given enough time to prepare. After the prosecution’s opening statement was completed, the judges made a decision three days later to impose a defense attorney for Karadzic and continue the trial on March 1, in order to give him enough time to prepare. According to this decision, Karadzic’s right to defend himself was not revoked, and the imposed attorney Richard Harvey will take his place in court only if Karadzic refuses to appear on March 1. Previously on Monday at the Hague, the prosecution submitted to the court a list of the first 30 witnesses to be called in the trial of Radovan Karadzic. One of the first witnesses will be former justice minister in Karadzic’s government, Momcilo Mandic, who is also on trial for war crimes related to Sarajevo. Mandic was earlier freed from all charges, but the prosecution appealed the verdict and will go to court again. The first witnesses that is expected to take the stand in the Karadzic case is a protect witnesses and will be testifying under a pseudonym. After him, Sulejman Crncalo will take the stand. Crncalo testified in the trial of Momcilo Krajisnik on the circumstances under which the Muslim community left Pale in 1992. American diplomat Herbert Okun, who served as the deputy of Cyrus Vance, the UN special envoy for the Balkans at the beginning of the conflict, will also testify. The prosecution will call to the stand former Sky News journalist Arnout Van Linden, as well as the former chief of the EU Monitoring Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colm Doyle, U.S. professors Robert Donia and John Wilson, and retired British General Michael Rose, who served as UNPROFOR commander in Bosnia. The prosecution states that these witnesses are expected to testify in March and April. Karadzic is expected to give the opening statements of his defense on March 1-2. The prosecution gave its opening statements in October, after which Karadzic refused to participate in the trial, stating that he needed more time to prepare his defense. The trial was then postponed and is expected to begin again on March 1.

Karadžić wants more time to prepare

Karadžić said that he was not able to prepare because the court secretariat did not give his defense team the necessary funds, and he was not allowed to pick his own attorney.

The former Republic of Srpska president is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity committed against Muslims and Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1991 and 1993. He is also accused of holding an international hostage.

Karadžić, who is defending himself, did not mention how long of a postponement he requires.

He stated that the trial secretariat stopped financing his eight legal advisers, assistants and investigations against regulations. He has appealed the decision and a ruling on the matter is expected from Tribunal President Patrick Robinson.

Karadžić added that at the end of 2009, in a similar situation, Judge Robinson approved the added money for his defense team, mentioning that the secretariat’s decision was unreasonable. Karadžić is asking that the trial be postponed until Robinson makes a decision on the matter.

If Robinson confirms the decision of the secretariat, then “there might not be a need to postpone the trial, but it is “not likely” that Karadžić “will participate in the trial in which he must face the prosecution and all of its resources with one member in his team, without advisers and investigators. Such a trial would be a farce,” the defense stated.

In the meantime, the prosecution has given Karadžić’s team another 300,000 pages of documentation and submitted a demand for introducing another 2,000 pages, which has caused Karadžić to “fall even further behind.”

The trial before the Hague Tribunal began on October 26, 2009 with the opening statements of the prosecution. Karadžić boycotted participation, stating that he was not given enough time to prepare.

After the prosecution’s opening statement was completed, the judges made a decision three days later to impose a defense attorney for Karadžić and continue the trial on March 1, in order to give him enough time to prepare.

According to this decision, Karadžić’s right to defend himself was not revoked, and the imposed attorney Richard Harvey will take his place in court only if Karadžić refuses to appear on March 1.

Previously on Monday at the Hague, the prosecution submitted to the court a list of the first 30 witnesses to be called in the trial of Radovan Karadžić.

One of the first witnesses will be former justice minister in Karadžić’s government, Momčilo Mandić, who is also on trial for war crimes related to Sarajevo.

Mandić was earlier freed from all charges, but the prosecution appealed the verdict and will go to court again.

The first witnesses that is expected to take the stand in the Karadžić case is a protect witnesses and will be testifying under a pseudonym.

After him, Sulejman Crncalo will take the stand. Crncalo testified in the trial of Momčilo Krajišnik on the circumstances under which the Muslim community left Pale in 1992.

American diplomat Herbert Okun, who served as the deputy of Cyrus Vance, the UN special envoy for the Balkans at the beginning of the conflict, will also testify.

The prosecution will call to the stand former Sky News journalist Arnout Van Linden, as well as the former chief of the EU Monitoring Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colm Doyle, U.S. professors Robert Donia and John Wilson, and retired British General Michael Rose, who served as UNPROFOR commander in Bosnia.

The prosecution states that these witnesses are expected to testify in March and April.

Karadžić is expected to give the opening statements of his defense on March 1-2.

The prosecution gave its opening statements in October, after which Karadžić refused to participate in the trial, stating that he needed more time to prepare his defense.

The trial was then postponed and is expected to begin again on March 1.