Ex-Hague spokeswoman to enter plea

Former Hague Tribunal spokeswoman Florence Hartmann will enter her plea on Monday on contempt of court charges. In her statements to the media, Hartmann has accused the UN war crimes tribunal of "trying to silence the truth". Ex-Hague spokeswoman to enter plea Carla Del Ponte's former representative is accused of on two occasions revealing details from the trial of Slobodan Milosevic that were heard in sessions the court had closed to the public. In her book "Crime and Punishment" Hartmann wrote that the Hague prosecution was allegedly unhappy with the tribunal's decision to accept Serbia's request to have some portions of the state archive documents considered in closed sessions. She believes that it was precisely these pieces of evidence that were key in determining Serbia's responsibility for the genocide in Bosnia. Hartmann accused judges of the Chamber of Appeals, headed by now Tribunal President Fausto Pocar, of being "accomplices in manipulation organized by the authorities in Belgrade, so that the International Court of Justice, which heard the Bosnian genocide lawsuit, would be made to make the same mistakes the Hague Tribunal made". The prosecution, according to this former spokesman, could not discuss this publically because the judges allegedly protected themselves by making their decisions confidential. The Hague Tribunal believes that Hartmann knew she was engaging in a violation and was intent to obstruct justice. Hartmann, on the other hand, considers that she had the right to publish the information she obtained, and told the Serbian media shortly after the indictment against her was issued that she "did not breach confidentiality of information".

Ex-Hague spokeswoman to enter plea

Carla Del Ponte's former representative is accused of on two occasions revealing details from the trial of Slobodan Milošević that were heard in sessions the court had closed to the public.

In her book "Crime and Punishment" Hartmann wrote that the Hague prosecution was allegedly unhappy with the tribunal's decision to accept Serbia's request to have some portions of the state archive documents considered in closed sessions.

She believes that it was precisely these pieces of evidence that were key in determining Serbia's responsibility for the genocide in Bosnia.

Hartmann accused judges of the Chamber of Appeals, headed by now Tribunal President Fausto Pocar, of being "accomplices in manipulation organized by the authorities in Belgrade, so that the International Court of Justice, which heard the Bosnian genocide lawsuit, would be made to make the same mistakes the Hague Tribunal made".

The prosecution, according to this former spokesman, could not discuss this publically because the judges allegedly protected themselves by making their decisions confidential.

The Hague Tribunal believes that Hartmann knew she was engaging in a violation and was intent to obstruct justice.

Hartmann, on the other hand, considers that she had the right to publish the information she obtained, and told the Serbian media shortly after the indictment against her was issued that she "did not breach confidentiality of information".