NETHERLANDS: JUDGES DECLARE SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FIT ENOUGHT FOR HIS MUCH-DELAYED WAR CRIMES TRIAL TO PROCEED
Record ID:
647291
NETHERLANDS: JUDGES DECLARE SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FIT ENOUGHT FOR HIS MUCH-DELAYED WAR CRIMES TRIAL TO PROCEED
- Title: NETHERLANDS: JUDGES DECLARE SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FIT ENOUGHT FOR HIS MUCH-DELAYED WAR CRIMES TRIAL TO PROCEED
- Date: 6th July 2004
- Summary: (U7) THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (JULY 6, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE HAGUE (6 SHOTS) 0.36 2. LV/SV SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S LEGAL ADVISER ZDENKO TOMANOVIC WALKING (2 SHOTS) 0.52 3. MCU (English) SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S LEGAL ADVISER ZDENKO TOMANOVIC SAYING: "Mr. Milosevic as you know defends himself. He has a right to defend himself. And he will not accept any lawyer who will be impacted by the trial chamber. In my legal opinion Mr. Milosevic is able to defend himself and there are no conventions which limited him to defend himself and if the trial chamber order to impact the defense council for Mr. Milosevic in the courtroom of course they will not accept this lawyer and that means that the trial will be come very confused situation." 1.47 4. SV TOMANOVIC TALKING TO REPORTER 1.54 5. MCU (English) SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S LEGAL ADVISER ZDENKO TOMANOVIC SAYING: "Yes I spoke with Mr. Milosevic and he informed me that it is not possible to visit him because the doctor ordered him to rest and I had tried to see him tomorrow and we will see in which health he will be." 2.20 6. LV/SLV EXTERIOR THE HAGUE (2 SHOTS) 2.34 7. LV SUNSET 2.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Reuters ID: LVAJXOKVR7EWBZ2X32B5MNDCLSB
- Story Text: Judges declare Slobodan Milosevic fit enough for his
much-delayed war crimes trial to proceed.
Slobodan Milosevic's legal advisor has said that
Milosevic has a right to defend himself.
Judges declared on Tuesday (July 6) that Milosevic was
fit enough for his much-delayed war crimes trial to proceed
but there was evidence that "his health is such that he may
not be fit to continue to represent himself," the judges
wrote in a statement.
"Mr. Milosevic as you know defends himself. He has a
right to defend himself. And he will not accept any lawyer
who will be impacted by the trial chamber. In my legal
opinion Mr. Milosevic is able to defend himself and there
are no conventions which limited him to defend himself
and if the trial chamber order to impact the defense
council for Mr. Milosevic in the courtroom of course they
will not accept this lawyer and that means that the trial
will be come very confused situation," said his legal
advisor Zdenko Tomanovic.
Milosevic, who has been defending himself in a court he
does not recognise, had been expected to launch his defence
on Monday (July 5) in a case widely regarded as Europe's
biggest war crimes trial since top Nazis were tried at
Nuremberg after World War Two.
But new concerns about his high blood pressure and
heart problems forced yet another delay to the case that
started in February 2002, with a lawyer appointed to ensure
Milosevic gets a fair trial questioning whether the case
could continue.
The trial judges called on Tuesday for a cardiologist
to examine the 62-year-old accused to determine if he was
fit enough to continue to conduct his own defence and said
the case would resume on July 14, subject to the state of
his health.
"...I spoke with Mr. Milosevic and he informed me that
it is not possible to visit him because the doctor ordered
him to rest and I had tried to see him tomorrow and we will
see in which health he will be," Tomanovic added.
Milosevic, who had been due to start his defence case after a
lengt
hy prosecution accusing him of genocide and
other crimes during the 1990s breakup of Yugoslavia, said
on Monday he would never agree to the imposition of a
defence counsel.
Vladimir Krsljanin, a Belgrade-based supporter who
provides him with legal assistance, said forcing one on him
would make his health problems worse.
The imposition of a defence counsel against the will of
an accused is not unprecedented at the tribunal. Judges
have done so in the case of Serb ultra-nationalist Vojislav
Seselj, who faces charges of crimes against humanity in the
Balkans.
The judges said it was time for a "radical review",
noting that 66 trial days had been lost due to Milosevic's
ill health.
"It is in the interests of the accused and the broader
interests of justice that this trial be conducted and
concluded within a reasonable period of time," the judges
said.
They said they might have to assign a defence lawyer to
ensure the trial is completed, who would either assist
Milosevic in the preparation and presentation of his
defence or -- in exceptional circumstances -- take over the
defence.
The defiant former Serbian strongman, charged with
genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, accused
the court of "maltreatment of prisoners" on Monday for
making him attend a hearing on his health.
The court heard on Monday that Milosevic has suffered
from high blood pressure especially when under stress as
well as damage to his heart, with doctors recommending
regular rest.
Since the prosecution wrapped up its case in February
after calling around 290 witnesses, Milosevic has been
working on his defence from an office with a computer, fax,
telephone and filing cabinets in the tribunal's detention
centre.
The Belgrade Law Faculty graduate wants to summon more
than 1,000 witnesses including former U.S. President Bill
Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the 150
working days allotted for his defence.
He says the tribunal is guilty of inherent bias against
him and the Serb people, branding it an illegal institution
designed to cover up what he says were NATO war crimes
sponsored by the United States and Britain.
He describes himself as a peacemaker and has declined
to enter a plea to the charges. Pleas of not guilty were
entered on his behalf by the trial's three judges.
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