Ex-Hague spokeswoman refuses to enter plea

Florence Hartmann, the former spokeswoman of Hague Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, has made her first appearance before the Tribunal. However, Hartman did not enter a plea to the charges of contempt of court. Ex-Hague spokeswoman refuses to enter plea Hartmann and her French attorney William Bourdon used her right to defer her plea for 30 days. They said that the court had still not responded to Hartmann’s request that the Tribunal should pay her legal fees, as she, so it is claimed, did not have enough money herself. Judge Carmel Agius said that that he did not see any link between the legal fees and the plea, but added that he would respect the defendant’s decision and schedule a new hearing. Earlier, in her statements to the media, Hartmann has accused the UN war crimes tribunal of "trying to silence the truth". Del Ponte's former representative is accused of revealing details from the trial of Slobodan Milosevic that were heard in sessions the court had closed to the public, on two occasions. 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 certain sections of state archive documents considered in closed sessions. She believes that it was precisely these pieces of evidence that were the key to establishing Serbia's responsibility for the genocide in Bosnia. Hartmann accused Chamber of Appeals judges, 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 as the Hague Tribunal.” The prosecution, according to the former spokeswoman, could not discuss this publicly 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 intending to obstruct the course of justice. Hartmann, on the other hand, believes that she was entitled 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 refuses to enter plea

Hartmann and her French attorney William Bourdon used her right to defer her plea for 30 days.

They said that the court had still not responded to Hartmann’s request that the Tribunal should pay her legal fees, as she, so it is claimed, did not have enough money herself.

Judge Carmel Agius said that that he did not see any link between the legal fees and the plea, but added that he would respect the defendant’s decision and schedule a new hearing.

Earlier, in her statements to the media, Hartmann has accused the UN war crimes tribunal of "trying to silence the truth".

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

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 certain sections of state archive documents considered in closed sessions.

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

Hartmann accused Chamber of Appeals judges, 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 as the Hague Tribunal.”

The prosecution, according to the former spokeswoman, could not discuss this publicly 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 intending to obstruct the course of justice.

Hartmann, on the other hand, believes that she was entitled 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".