Hague wants probe of tabloid’s writing

The Hague Tribunal has ordered the authorities in Serbia to begin an investigation into the articles published in the Belgrade daily Kurir, Beta reports. The move came in connection with the trial being led against Serb Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj. Hague wants probe of tabloid’s writing According to an order of the pre-trial chamber of Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti, the investigation should confirm who wrote, and on the basis of which information, the texts entitled "Remove Seselj from Serbia!" and "Everyone to Court!," which were published in Kurir on June 27 and 28 this year. Seselj cited extracts from these articles in his request that the trial against him be discontinued, as evidence that in 2003, then Hague Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte brought the indictment against him at the request of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. The trial chamber is particularly interested in a quotation in the first text, which Seselj also referred to in his request that the trial be discontinued, in which Del Ponte says to Djindjic: "If the Radicals disturb the political situation, let Seselj be the target, and let your lawyers aim the indictment in the desired direction." In the second text, which Kurir entitled "Everyone to Court!", the trial chamber's attention was drawn to a quote by Judge May, who allegedly joined in Del Ponte's and Djindjic's discussion, saying in Serbian to the prime minister: "I've studied Seselj's actions and I think he is a man who has lived through a lot and who is considered to be very knowledgeable about the law." Judge May presided over the trial of the former president of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, until the beginning of 2004, when he left the tribunal due to illness. He died shortly thereafter. The tribunal, therefore, has ordered that the Serbian authorities and the War Crimes Chamber of the Belgrade District Court begin an investigation and establish, among other things, "the author's identity and, in the event that they were not present at the meetings mentioned in the articles, how they came by the information." The order also states that the tribunal is expecting a report from the Serbian authorities on the investigation in two months.

Hague wants probe of tabloid’s writing

According to an order of the pre-trial chamber of Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti, the investigation should confirm who wrote, and on the basis of which information, the texts entitled "Remove Šešelj from Serbia!" and "Everyone to Court!," which were published in Kurir on June 27 and 28 this year.

Šešelj cited extracts from these articles in his request that the trial against him be discontinued, as evidence that in 2003, then Hague Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte brought the indictment against him at the request of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.

The trial chamber is particularly interested in a quotation in the first text, which Šešelj also referred to in his request that the trial be discontinued, in which Del Ponte says to Đinđić: "If the Radicals disturb the political situation, let Šešelj be the target, and let your lawyers aim the indictment in the desired direction."

In the second text, which Kurir entitled "Everyone to Court!", the trial chamber's attention was drawn to a quote by Judge May, who allegedly joined in Del Ponte's and Đinđić's discussion, saying in Serbian to the prime minister: "I've studied Šešelj's actions and I think he is a man who has lived through a lot and who is considered to be very knowledgeable about the law."

Judge May presided over the trial of the former president of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, until the beginning of 2004, when he left the tribunal due to illness. He died shortly thereafter.

The tribunal, therefore, has ordered that the Serbian authorities and the War Crimes Chamber of the Belgrade District Court begin an investigation and establish, among other things, "the author's identity and, in the event that they were not present at the meetings mentioned in the articles, how they came by the information."

The order also states that the tribunal is expecting a report from the Serbian authorities on the investigation in two months.