Martic, 60, is charged with war crimes against Croatian civilians committed in Serb-occupied areas of Croatia from 1991 to 1995, crimes against non-Serbs committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1994, and missile attacks on Zagreb in May 1995.
He is charged with individual and command responsibility for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war, including persecution on political, racial and religious grounds, extermination, murder, imprisonment, torture, inhumane acts, cruel treatment, deportation, forced displacement, plunder of public and private property, destruction of towns and villages, and attacks on civilians.
The 19-count indictment says that Martic was one of the key participants in a joint criminal enterprise the aim of which was to ethnically cleanse occupied areas of Croatia in order to annex them to a single Serb-dominated state which, according to plans of the Milosevic regime in Belgrade, was to have been created after the disintegration of the Yugoslav federation.
Martic held various leadership positions in the so-called Serb Autonomous District of Krajina, which was later renamed Republic of Serb Krajina (RSK), including the posts of minister of the interior and minister of defence. He served as president of the RSK from 1994 to 1995, when the rebel forces were defeated by the Croatian army in Operation Storm.
The prosecution, led by Alex Whiting, announced it would call 63 witnesses and tender into evidence a large number of documents, transcripts, and audio and video recordings.
The trial was taking place before a trial chamber presided by Judge Bakone Justice Moloto of South Africa.
The crown witness against the accused will be Milan Babic, former political leader of the rebel Serbs in Croatia, who has admitted to the crimes against Croats and has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.