THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 25 (Hina) - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday refused to say whether or not he agreed that his trial before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague should continue with a new
judge.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 25 (Hina) - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic on Thursday refused to say whether or not he agreed that his
trial before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague should continue
with a new judge.#L#
The session was chaired by tribunal president Theodor Meron, who asked
Milosevic whether or not he agreed that the proceedings continue with
a substitute judge replacing Richard May, who had resigned for health
reasons.
According to the tribunal's rules, if a trial chamber judge is
prevented in the performance of his duties at an advanced stage of
proceedings, proceedings may continue with a new judge only with the
consent of the accused.
Milosevic said he could not declare his position on the matter because
he did not recognise the tribunal, and instead demanded more time to
prepare his defence and a provisional release.
Explaining his request for provisional release, Milosevic said that he
could not exercise his right to defence while in detention. "I cannot
communicate with my witnesses without supervision," he said.
The tribunal has made available two rooms to Milosevic to prepare his
defence, one inside the detention centre and the other outside it,
where he can talk to future witnesses without the presence of third
persons.
When Judge Meron repeated his question about the continuation of the
trial, Milosevic resolutely refused to answer, saying that he
considered the tribunal "illegal and an instrument of war against the
Serbian people" and regarded the indictment and the prosecutors as
"fake".
Meron judged Milosevic's refusal as denial of consent and closed the
session, saying that he was not authorised to address the issue and
that this would be done by the trial chamber.
Rule 15c of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence provides for the
possibility of a trial continuing with a new judge even without the
consent of the accused if members of the trial chamber unanimously
decide this to be in the interests of justice.
Milosevic is charged with 66 counts of genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina
and crimes against humanity committed in Croatia and Kosovo. The first
stage of the trial lasted from 12 February 2002 to 25 February 2004
during which the prosecution presented its case. The second stage has
been scheduled for June 8 when Milosevic will start presenting his
defence.
(Hina) vm