THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Sept 30 (Hina) - The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has decided that the trial of Slobodan Milosevic will be conducted three days a week, with a four-day break due to the
deteriorated condition of the accused.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Sept 30 (Hina) - The International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has decided that the
trial of Slobodan Milosevic will be conducted three days a week,
with a four-day break due to the deteriorated condition of the
accused. #L#
In light of doctors' advice, the court has decided to be in session
three days a week, said the president of the trial chamber, Judge
Richard May, at the end of Tuesday's discussion on Milosevic's
health condition and the consequences of frequent postponements of
the trial caused by his poor health.
The 62-year-old former president of Serbia and Yugoslavia, who is
charged with genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and war crimes in
Croatia and Kosovo, suffers from high blood pressure, and his
condition tends to deteriorate when he is under stress, a medical
team said in a report.
So far, Milosevic has been given a four-day break after every two
weeks of hearings. The new pace will prolong the presentation of
evidence by the prosecution, which originally was to be completed
by this December.
The chief prosecutor in the Milosevic trial, Geoffrey Nice, at
whose request today's discussion was held, suggested that the trial
chamber appoint a defence lawyer who would represent Milosevic in
cases when the accused was prevented by ill health to defend
himself. He proposed that one of the tribunal's amici curiae,
Branislav Tapuskovic, be appointed Milosevic's counsel.
Nice pointed to the connection between the indictee's smoking and
high blood pressure, and proposed that the tribunal consider this
matter as well.
If the indictee stopped smoking, this would help his health
condition, Nice said.
Another amicus curie, Steven Kay, refuted all proposals by Nice,
accusing the prosecution, among other things, of failing to shape
the case and identify all the witnesses.
Judge May said the trial chamber would consider all the proposals
and make decisions in due time.
The resumption of the trial, set for Monday, will depend on doctors'
opinion, May added.
The trial of Milosevic before the Hague-based UN tribunal started
on 12 March 2002. It has been interrupted 11 times because of the
indictee's ill health.
(hina) ms