Šešelj finishes closing argument

Serb Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Šešelj finished Tuesday his closing argument before the Hague Tribunal.

Izvor: Tanjug

Wednesday, 21.03.2012.

10:35

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Serb Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj finished Tuesday his closing argument before the Hague Tribunal. He is on trial for war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vojvodina between 1991 and 1993. Seselj finishes closing argument Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti declared the trial over. In his final address before the court, Seselj said the proceedings against him were politically motivated, he was subjected to political persecution and reiterated there was no legal basis for a guilty verdict. "The prosecution has asked for 28 years in prison. There is no legal basis for a guilty verdict. But you do not need legal basis. If you sentence me to 28 years, I have no chance of serving out the sentence," he stressed. In the final part of his closing argument on Tuesday, Seselj said his opponents were "poorly educated people, with no knowledge of the law or moral scruples," noting the trial "was not a fight on equal footing." The SRS leader asked the court to release him as there was no longer any risk he would run or influence witnesses. He once again said he despised the Hague Tribunal, claiming the court had no chance against him in a battle of legal arguments and principles. "All that you have left is brute force. I urge you to use that force to its limits," said Seselj. "You cannot beat me because I am morally and intellectually superior. There is no remedy against me. All you can do is kill me, and then my grave will continue to fight you," he told the court. Seselj's closing argument was pushed last week from Monday and Tuesday to Wednesday and Thursday, after he underwent a second surgery when the defibrillator he had implanted in early January malfunctioned. The Hague Tribunal brought charges against Seselj in January 2003 and his trial began in November 2007. The prosecution has demanded a sentence of 28 years in prison, claiming in its closing argument two weeks ago that the accused is guilty on all nine counts of the indictment. Vojislav Seselj Tanjug

Šešelj finishes closing argument

Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti declared the trial over.

In his final address before the court, Šešelj said the proceedings against him were politically motivated, he was subjected to political persecution and reiterated there was no legal basis for a guilty verdict.

"The prosecution has asked for 28 years in prison. There is no legal basis for a guilty verdict. But you do not need legal basis. If you sentence me to 28 years, I have no chance of serving out the sentence," he stressed.

In the final part of his closing argument on Tuesday, Šešelj said his opponents were "poorly educated people, with no knowledge of the law or moral scruples," noting the trial "was not a fight on equal footing."

The SRS leader asked the court to release him as there was no longer any risk he would run or influence witnesses.

He once again said he despised the Hague Tribunal, claiming the court had no chance against him in a battle of legal arguments and principles.

"All that you have left is brute force. I urge you to use that force to its limits," said Šešelj.

"You cannot beat me because I am morally and intellectually superior. There is no remedy against me. All you can do is kill me, and then my grave will continue to fight you," he told the court.

Šešelj's closing argument was pushed last week from Monday and Tuesday to Wednesday and Thursday, after he underwent a second surgery when the defibrillator he had implanted in early January malfunctioned.

The Hague Tribunal brought charges against Šešelj in January 2003 and his trial began in November 2007. The prosecution has demanded a sentence of 28 years in prison, claiming in its closing argument two weeks ago that the accused is guilty on all nine counts of the indictment.

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