THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - The International Criminal Tribunalfor the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has turned down a request by thetribunal's prosecution for the joinder of trials of Milan Martic, aformer leader of Croatian Serb
rebels, Jovica Stanisic and FrankoSimatovic, former chiefs of Serbia's state security services, andVojislav Seselj, the head of the Serb Radical Party.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - The International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has turned down a request by the
tribunal's prosecution for the joinder of trials of Milan Martic, a former
leader of Croatian Serb rebels, Jovica Stanisic and Franko Simatovic, former
chiefs of Serbia's state security services, and Vojislav Seselj, the head of
the Serb Radical Party. A press release issued on the ICTY web site
on Friday read that "yesterday, 10 November 2005, Trial Chamber III denied the
Prosecution"s motion to join three cases involving Milan Martic, Jovica
Stanisic, Franko Simatovic and Vojislav Seselj. The Prosecution"s "Motion for
joinder" was filed on 30 May 2005 pursuant to Rule 48 of the Rules of Procedure
and Evidence. In its Motion, the Prosecution contemplated the joinder of yet
another indictee, Goran Hadzic, who is still at large."
The ICTY trial chamber "concluded that 'none of the factors that have
been taken into account - judicial economy, conflicts of interest and rights of
the accused, minimizing hardship for witnesses and consistency in verdicts -
militate in favour of a joinder'."