ZAGREB, Aug 11 (Hina) - Please read the correct version of the news item headlined "ICTY No Longer Cover Costs of Defence of Seven Accused Croats" as follows: "The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) will
no longer cover costs for the defence of seven Bosnian Croat defendants, who receive financial support from a Croatian organisation, the Hague-based Tribunal said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the statement, the organisation named "Hrvatski Uznik u Hagu (Croatian Prisoners in The Hague)", raised funds for the detainees, "particularly through an auction of art works held in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, totalling an estimated DM 4,3000,000" at the beginning and in the mid-1999. "During the auction of 18 June 1999, a letter signed by the accused was read out in which they expressed their gratitude for the support lent to them," the ICTY statement added. The indict
ZAGREB, Aug 11 (Hina) - Please read the correct version of the news
item headlined "ICTY No Longer Cover Costs of Defence of Seven
Accused Croats" as follows:
"The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) will no longer cover costs for the defence of seven Bosnian
Croat defendants, who receive financial support from a Croatian
organisation, the Hague-based Tribunal said in a statement on
Wednesday.
According to the statement, the organisation named "Hrvatski Uznik
u Hagu (Croatian Prisoners in The Hague)", raised funds for the
detainees, "particularly through an auction of art works held in
Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, totalling an estimated DM 4,3000,000"
at the beginning and in the mid-1999.
"During the auction of 18 June 1999, a letter signed by the accused
was read out in which they expressed their gratitude for the support
lent to them," the ICTY statement added.
The indictment "Kupreskic and Others", issued in November 1995,
charges the six Bosnian Croats with crime against humanity, and
breaches of customs and laws of war while being involved into a
crime committed in the village of Ahmici on 16 April 1993. Those six
accused are Drago Josipovic, Mirjan Kupreskic, Zoran Kupreskic,
Dragan Papic and Vladimir Santic, who surrendered to the Hague
Tribunal in October 1997, and Vlatko Kupreskic, arrested by
Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in December 1997.
Mario Cerkes, who also enjoyed the privilege of the assignment of
Defence Counsel, was a commander of the Croat Defence Council (HVO)
Vitez Brigade and was accused in the Kordic/Cerkez case of
violating laws and customs of war and breaching Geneva Conventions.
He surrendered to the Hague Court in October 1997 as well.
"Pursuant to Article 19 of the Directive on the Assignment of
Defence Counsel, the privilege of the assignment of Defence Counsel
ends when information shows that the accused persons have
sufficient means to retain Counsel privately," the ICTY explained
its decision not to finance costs of the defence of the seven
accused any more."
We apologise for any inconvenience.
(hina) ms