Mladić's defense opposes split trial

Hague Tribunal indictee Ratko Mladic's defense opposes the prosecution's request to separate the indictment against him, the Hague Tribunal stated Thursday. The prosecution wants the indictment separated into an indictment for crimes in Srebrenica and the one for the crimes in Sarajevo. Mladic's defense opposes split trial In his response, defense lawyer Branko Lukic assessed the prosecution's request as erroneous, adding that it represented wrong legal standards, violated the right of the defendant to a fair trial, as well as the presumption of innocence. The Hague Tribunal has proposed that Mladic be tried in two separate proceedings, that is that the indictment be separated to an indictment referring to the crimes in Srebrenica, and an indictment referring to the crimes in Sarajevo and Bosnia-Herzegovina municipalities and taking international hostages, on which the decision should be made by the court council. Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said that the reason for such a request was the fact that separation would make the case less voluminous, presentation of evidence would start much sooner and because there was a danger that Mladic's health could worsen. Two counts of the indictment charge the Bosnian Serbs leader with genocide in Srebrenica and another eight Bosnia-Herzegovina’s municipalities and nine counts charge him with exile, extermination, murder, deportation, terror, attacks on civilians and taking of hostages during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Mladic was arrested on May 26, 2011, in the village of Lazarevo near northeastern Serbian town of Zrenjanin and he was transferred to Scheveningen on May 31. In his first court appearance, he delayed entering his plea, and on July 4 he was ejected from the courtroom for disrupting the court, after which a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Ratko Mladic (Tanjug, file)

Mladić's defense opposes split trial

In his response, defense lawyer Branko Lukić assessed the prosecution's request as erroneous, adding that it represented wrong legal standards, violated the right of the defendant to a fair trial, as well as the presumption of innocence.

The Hague Tribunal has proposed that Mladić be tried in two separate proceedings, that is that the indictment be separated to an indictment referring to the crimes in Srebrenica, and an indictment referring to the crimes in Sarajevo and Bosnia-Herzegovina municipalities and taking international hostages, on which the decision should be made by the court council.

Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said that the reason for such a request was the fact that separation would make the case less voluminous, presentation of evidence would start much sooner and because there was a danger that Mladić's health could worsen.

Two counts of the indictment charge the Bosnian Serbs leader with genocide in Srebrenica and another eight Bosnia-Herzegovina’s municipalities and nine counts charge him with exile, extermination, murder, deportation, terror, attacks on civilians and taking of hostages during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mladić was arrested on May 26, 2011, in the village of Lazarevo near northeastern Serbian town of Zrenjanin and he was transferred to Scheveningen on May 31.

In his first court appearance, he delayed entering his plea, and on July 4 he was ejected from the courtroom for disrupting the court, after which a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.