Karadzic Refuses to Appear

Radovan Karadzic informs the Trial Chamber of the Hague Tribunal that he will not appear in court at the beginning of the trial on October 26.

As the indictee stated in his motion, the reason for this is that his Defence is not ready for the trial, while being "forced and hurried" into it.

"Excellencies, my participation in the trial under the current obvious circumstances would be my only crime, for which I would deserve to be disdained by war victims and cursed by future generations," Karadzic said in his motion filed with the Tribunal. 

"By this motion I regret to inform you, with continuing respect for you as individuals, and a belief that a solution can be found for any problem, that my defence is not ready for the trial against me, which is due to begin, as decided, on October 26. I and my entire team will continue with our preparations at the most intensive pace [...] As soon as we are ready, we shall gladly inform the Chamber and the Prosecution several weeks in advance," Karadzic said.

There are no indications from the Tribunal, at the present moment, suggesting that the trial will not go on as previously announced. 

"Judges of the International Court have full control over the trials. Trial Chambers are the only competent bodies that can render decisions concerning readiness for the beginning of trials," said Nerma Jelacic, spokesperson for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY. 

The Hague Prosecution charges Karadzic with genocide committed in Srebrenica and ten other Bosnian municipalities, as well as crimes committed in 27 municipalities and "the sniper and shelling campaign in Sarajevo". 

The former President of Republika Srpska, RS, and the Supreme Commander of the RS armed forces was arrested in Belgrade on July 21, 2008, after having been on the run for more than a decade. 

He made his first appearance before the Hague Tribunal ten days later. Following numerous status conferences held during the course of last year, it has been decided that his trial will begin on Monday, October 26, when the Prosecution will present its introductory arguments. 

Prior to the beginning of the trial, the indictee asked the Court to let him have an additional ten months for preparation of his defence. However, the Appeals Chamber rejected his requested, judging his reasons to be "unconvincing". 

"I repeatedly assure your excellencies that no representative in the world would be able to prepare the defence over such a short period of time. The biggest case should be given at least an approximate time for preparation, which is nearly two years. Good preparation would save us time during the course of the trial itself, so the total time spent would eventually be the same," Karadzic argued.

Since his first appearance before the Tribunal, the former president of Republika Srpska has insisted on defending himself. 

"My decision to represent myself was not an easy one to make. It does not reflect a lack of confidence in attorneys, but my certainty that the facts are so complicated that only a person who has participated from the very beginning can fully understand and present them," Karadzic said in his motion.