Tolimir prays in court, says can't read Latin alphabet

Former Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) General Zdravko Tolimir attended a status conference at the Hague Friday. Before presenting his requests at the conference, Tolimir prayed "for the salvation of all those in any way connected with the Tribunal." Tolimir prays in court, says can't read Latin alphabet Tolimir prayed briefly for all those present in the courtroom, all the Tribunal’s staff and elsewhere, before presenting his demands. Former member of the VRS Main Staff is charged with genocide and other crimes in Srebrenica and Zepa. He confirmed he wanted to defend himself, going on to say he wanted to get "all those things other accused representing themselves" get. Although Tolimir did not mention Vojislav Seselj, it was obvious that he had in mind what the Radicals’ leader got pursuant to the decisions of his pre-trial judge Jean Claude Antonetti in order to be able to represent himself before the Tribunal. This included funds to pay the costs of his defense and the accommodation for his legal representatives in The Hague, provided he could prove he could not pay them himself. At least one of the legal representatives must meet the requirements set for the counsel practicing before the Tribunal. Pre-trial judge Kimberly Prost told the accused that when he decides whether he wants to defend himself he should weigh all the consequences of that decision. She invoked the recent decision of the Appeals Chamber in the Krajisnik case, ruling that "self-representation and legal assistance of the Tribunal are mutually exclusive." After a lengthy debate about the demand of the accused to be given all documents in "Serbian and in Cyrillic" and his insistence that he "cannot understand documents in other languages and alphabets", the judge concluded the accused was "able to understand the documents in Serbian and in the Latin alphabet." In an effort to prove the opposite, Tolimir demanded that the documents be disclosed to him "in Macedonian or Russian, because the Latin alphabet was too tiring for him." At the end of the conference, the Canadian judge ordered the accused to file his preliminary motions challenging the Tribunal’s jurisdiction or alleging defects in the indictment, if any, within 45 days. Tolimir warned her he would not be honoring any deadlines before the resolution of the issue of his status, primarily of his "kidnapping in Belgrade and his illegal surrender to the Tribunal." When the judge asked him the usual question about his health, the accused replied he was "in perfect health." The judge then urged him to heed the appeals of the doctors in the UN Detention Unit. According to official statements, Tolimir was arrested on May 31 on the border between Serbia and Bosnia, and transferred to the Hague Tribunal the next day.

Tolimir prays in court, says can't read Latin alphabet

Tolimir prayed briefly for all those present in the courtroom, all the Tribunal’s staff and elsewhere, before presenting his demands.

Former member of the VRS Main Staff is charged with genocide and other crimes in Srebrenica and Žepa.

He confirmed he wanted to defend himself, going on to say he wanted to get "all those things other accused representing themselves" get.

Although Tolimir did not mention Vojislav Šešelj, it was obvious that he had in mind what the Radicals’ leader got pursuant to the decisions of his pre-trial judge Jean Claude Antonetti in order to be able to represent himself before the Tribunal.

This included funds to pay the costs of his defense and the accommodation for his legal representatives in The Hague, provided he could prove he could not pay them himself.

At least one of the legal representatives must meet the requirements set for the counsel practicing before the Tribunal.

Pre-trial judge Kimberly Prost told the accused that when he decides whether he wants to defend himself he should weigh all the consequences of that decision.

She invoked the recent decision of the Appeals Chamber in the Krajišnik case, ruling that "self-representation and legal assistance of the Tribunal are mutually exclusive."

After a lengthy debate about the demand of the accused to be given all documents in "Serbian and in Cyrillic" and his insistence that he "cannot understand documents in other languages and alphabets", the judge concluded the accused was "able to understand the documents in Serbian and in the Latin alphabet."

In an effort to prove the opposite, Tolimir demanded that the documents be disclosed to him "in Macedonian or Russian, because the Latin alphabet was too tiring for him."

At the end of the conference, the Canadian judge ordered the accused to file his preliminary motions challenging the Tribunal’s jurisdiction or alleging defects in the indictment, if any, within 45 days.

Tolimir warned her he would not be honoring any deadlines before the resolution of the issue of his status, primarily of his "kidnapping in Belgrade and his illegal surrender to the Tribunal."

When the judge asked him the usual question about his health, the accused replied he was "in perfect health." The judge then urged him to heed the appeals of the doctors in the UN Detention Unit.

According to official statements, Tolimir was arrested on May 31 on the border between Serbia and Bosnia, and transferred to the Hague Tribunal the next day.