Hague: Karadžić to start presenting his defense in October

The Hague Tribunal has decided that war crimes indictee Radovan Karadzic will start presenting his defense in mid-October of this year, it has been announced. The court rejected Karadzic's request for this to happen in March 2013. Hague: Karadzic to start presenting his defense in October He will instead make his opening statement on October 16 and immediately call his first witness. Karadzic - who is conducting his own defense - will have to finish presenting the evidence in the case by May 6, 2013, while the judges believe he will have enough time to prepare his defense by October. In making the decision, they said they took into account the volume of the case, and the fact that prosecutors entered 5,000 pieces of evidence and statements from 338 witnesses. Next week, the Hague will discuss Karadzic's motion to be released, based on the assertion that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt. The trial started in October 2009, but the prosecution called its first witnesses in early 2010. Karadzic was arrested in Serbia in the summer of 2008 and was soon extradited to the Hague Tribunal. The political leader of Serbs in Bosnia and commander in chief of their armed forces is charged with committing genocide and war crimes. Radovan Karadzic (file) Beta

Hague: Karadžić to start presenting his defense in October

He will instead make his opening statement on October 16 and immediately call his first witness.

Karadžić - who is conducting his own defense - will have to finish presenting the evidence in the case by May 6, 2013, while the judges believe he will have enough time to prepare his defense by October.

In making the decision, they said they took into account the volume of the case, and the fact that prosecutors entered 5,000 pieces of evidence and statements from 338 witnesses.

Next week, the Hague will discuss Karadžić's motion to be released, based on the assertion that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt.

The trial started in October 2009, but the prosecution called its first witnesses in early 2010.

Karadžić was arrested in Serbia in the summer of 2008 and was soon extradited to the Hague Tribunal.

The political leader of Serbs in Bosnia and commander in chief of their armed forces is charged with committing genocide and war crimes.