Hague defendant's motion for acquittal denied

A Hague Tribunal trial chamber rejected the motion for acquittal made by former head of Serbia's National Security Special Operations Unit Franko Simatovic. The chamber thinks the prosecution has presented enough evidence to back all of the charges against Simatovic, who is accused of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war. Hague defendant's motion for acquittal denied Simatovic had the intention of committing the crimes, chamber's presiding judge Alphons Orie stated in the argumentation for the decision. Simatovic is being tried together with former head of the National Security Jovica Stanisic. According to the indictment, Simatovic and Stanisic, individually or in coordination with other participants of a joint criminal enterprise, planned, ordered and in other ways assisted the persecution of non-Serbs in Serb controlled areas of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina between April 1, 1991 and December 31, 1995. The persecution included killing, forcible transfer and deportation of non-Serbs from large areas of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They are also charged with the murder of 6 Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica July 1995, who were killed by members of the so called Scorpions unit. The trial began April 28, 2008, after several delays. Orie set June 14 as the date for the next session. The defense will start presenting its case June 15. The chamber's decision is pursuant to Rule 98bis, which allows the defense to motion for acquittal if they think the prosecution did not present enough evidence to warrant a guilty verdict. No such motion has been accepted in 15 years of the tribunal's history. The same motion was denied Wednesday in the trial against Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj.

Hague defendant's motion for acquittal denied

Simatović had the intention of committing the crimes, chamber's presiding judge Alphons Orie stated in the argumentation for the decision.

Simatović is being tried together with former head of the National Security Jovica Stanišić.

According to the indictment, Simatović and Stanišić, individually or in coordination with other participants of a joint criminal enterprise, planned, ordered and in other ways assisted the persecution of non-Serbs in Serb controlled areas of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina between April 1, 1991 and December 31, 1995.

The persecution included killing, forcible transfer and deportation of non-Serbs from large areas of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

They are also charged with the murder of 6 Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica July 1995, who were killed by members of the so called Scorpions unit.

The trial began April 28, 2008, after several delays.

Orie set June 14 as the date for the next session. The defense will start presenting its case June 15.

The chamber's decision is pursuant to Rule 98bis, which allows the defense to motion for acquittal if they think the prosecution did not present enough evidence to warrant a guilty verdict.

No such motion has been accepted in 15 years of the tribunal's history. The same motion was denied Wednesday in the trial against Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Šešelj.