ICTY Weekly Press Briefing - 1 October 2008

ICTY Weekly Press Briefing
Date: 01.10.2008
Time: 12:00

Registry and Chambers:

Good afternoon,

Let me first highlight key upcoming events.

The UN Security Council Working Group on Ad Hoc Tribunals is paying a two-day working visit to the ICTY. The purpose of the visit is to discuss the residual and legacy issues pertaining to the Tribunal with its principals and other key staff.

The President of the Tribunal, Judge Fausto Pocar will be in London next week, 6 and 7 October, where he will take part in a Council of Europe conference on International Courts and Tribunals. President Pocar will be a discussant in the session dedicated to the role of international judges as key players of international justice.

As for the key decisions, on Monday, the Registrar of the Tribunal Hans Holthuis advised Vojislav Šešelj that due to his abuse of privileged communications facilities, communications with his team of legal advisors will be subject to the standard system of monitoring at the Detention Unit for a period of 30 days. Šešelj is able to appeal the decision to the Tribunal’s President.

Turning to the court schedule:

The start of trial in the case of Momčilo Perišić scheduled to begin today has been delayed until issues relating to the appointment of judges for the trial are resolved. A Scheduling Order providing the revised start time for the trial will be issued in due course.

Next week, the Appeals Chamber will render its judgement in the case against Milan Martić, one of the most senior persons tried by the Tribunal, on Wednesday, 8 October at 2:00 pm in courtroom I. In June 2007 Martić, a former war-time political leader of Croatian Serbs, was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment for persecutions, murder, torture, deportation and other crimes against humanity and violations of laws and customs of war committed during the early nineties against Croats and other non-Serbs in Croatia. Both parties appealed the first-instance judgement. The Defence requested a finding of not guilty or a re-trial on the basis of several alleged errors of law and fact. The Prosecution presented one ground of appeal, asking for a revision of the sentence due to an alleged error of law. An appeals hearing was held on 25 and 26 June 2008.

The trials for Popović and others, Prlić and others, Lukić and Lukić, Gotovina and others and Šešelj will continue this week and the next. Please see the courtroom schedule on the Tribunal’s website for details.

Office of the Prosecutor:

Olga Kavran, Spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor, made no statement.

Questions:

A journalist asked why the trial for Momčilo Perišić scheduled to begin today was delayed until further notice. Jelačić said that the Tribunal was awaiting the formal approval from the United Nations for the assignment of judges to this trial. Jelačić added that in his last report to the Security Counsel in NY on 5 June, the President of the Tribunal asked for the United Nations support on this matter.

Asked about details of appointment of ad-litem judges, Jelačić said that they are elected by the General Assembly and appointed by the Secretary General on the recommendation of the President.

Asked if the duration of the appointment of the ad-litem judges would be until December 2009 or earlier and what would happen if the trial lasted longer, Jelačić stated she would not be able to speculate about any dates or decision that may be made in the future.

Document List:

Case Description

Signature Date

Document Title

Gotovina et Al.

26-Sep-08

Prosecution's Submission Of Expert Report Of John Peter French Pursuant To Rule 94bis

Gotovina et Al.

29-Sep-08

Defendant Ante Gotovina's Further Submission Tojoint Defence Motion Requesting An Order From The Trial Chamber To Prevent Further Misuse Of 'Surplus' Defence Documents By Prosecution 

Hartmann (Contempt)

29-Sep-08

Décision

Hartmann (Contempt)

29-Sep-08

Ordonnance Reportant La Date De La Comparution Initiale

Hartmann (Contempt)

26-Sep-08

Scheduling Order For Initial Appearance

Karadzic and Mladic

26-Sep-08

Preliminary Order On Prosecution Motion For Protective Measures For Witnesses

Karadzic and Mladic

29-Sep-08

Zahtjev Momcila Perisica Za Pristup Povjerljivim Materijalima U Predmetu Protiv Radovana Karadzica

Krajisnik (Appeal)

01-Oct-08

Reply To Prosecution Consolidated Response To Motion To Call Radovan Karadzic Pursuant To Rule 115

Lukic et al

26-Sep-08

Prosecution's Response To Sredoje Lukic's Motion For Judicial Notice Of Adjudicated Facts

Lukic et al

26-Sep-08

Milan Lukic's Response To Sredoje Lukic's Amended Motion For Judicial Notice Of Adjudicated Facts

Martic (Appeal)

29-Sep-08

Scheduling Order For Delivery Of Judgement

Milutinovic et al.

26-Sep-08

Decision On Lukic Motion For Temporary Provisional Release

Milutinovic et al.

26-Sep-08

Decision On Pavkovic Motion For Temporary Provisional Release

Mrksic (Appeal)

26-Sep-08

Notice On Filing Public Redacted Version Of Additional Reply On Behalf Of Veselin Sljivancanin

Petkovic (Contempt)

26-Sep-08

Confirmation Of Completion Of Sentence

Popovic et al

29-Sep-08

Verification Of Accuracy Of Interpretation In Case No It-05-88-T, Hearing Of 28 July 2008

Popovic et al

26-Sep-08

Request For Certification Of Decision On Borovcanin's Motion For Admission Of Written Evidence Pursuant To Rule 92bis

Popovic et al

26-Sep-08

Cross-Examination Time Estimates On Behalf Of Milan Gvero For The Week 29 September - 3 October 2008

Prlic and Others

26-Sep-08

Observations Présentées Par Slobodan Praljak En Application De L'ordonnance Rendue Le 11 Septembre 2008 Au Sujet Des Mesures Prises Pour Assurer La Traduction De Documents

Prlic and Others

29-Sep-08

Réplique Faisant Suite À La Réponse De L'accusation À La Requête Présentée Par Milivoj Petkovic Aux Fins A) De Réexamen Des Ordonnances Du 1er Septembre 2008 Refusant Le Versement Au Dossier De Quatre Pièces Présentées Par L'intermédiaire Des Témoins Bunt

Prlic and Others

29-Sep-08

Second Decision On The Application Of Guideline 9 Of The Decision Of 24 April 2008

Prlic and Others

29-Sep-08

Slobodan Praljak's Reply To The Prosecution Response To The Joint Request For Clarification, Or In The Alternative, For Reconsideration Of The 4 September 2008 Ruling

Prlic and Others

26-Sep-08

Demande D'éclaircissement Ou, À Défaut, De Réexamen De La Décision Du 4 Septembre 2008 Autorisant L'accusation À Poursuivre L'interrogatoire Principal Des Témoins, Présentée Par Slobodan Praljak Et Milivoj Petkovic

Prlic and Others

26-Sep-08

Internal Memorandum Regarding Verification Of Accuracy Of Interpretation In Case No. It-04-74-T, Hearing Of 14 July 2008

Prlic and Others

01-Oct-08

Décision Relative À La Demande De La Défense Petkovic Aux Fins De Modification De La Liste 65 Ter Des Pièces À Conviction (6 Documents)

Prlic and Others

01-Oct-08

Jadranko Prlic's Proposed Schedule On The Application Of Guideline 9 Of The Decision Of 24 April 2008

Prlic and Others

26-Sep-08

Registry Submission Pursuant To Rule 33 (B) On Slobodan Praljak's Submission On Translation Facilities

Prlic and Others (Interlocutory)

29-Sep-08

Odluka Po Žalbi Slobodana Praljka Protiv Odluke Pretresnog Vijeca U Vezi S Prijevodom Dokumenata Od 16. Maja 2008.

Prlic and Others (Interlocutory)

29-Sep-08

Décision Faisant Suite À L'appel Interjeté Par Slobodan Praljak Contre La Décision Relative À La Traduction De Documents, Rendue Par La Chambre De Première Instance Le 16 Mai 2008

Seselj

26-Sep-08

Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Relevant To The Vukovar Crime Base

Seselj

26-Sep-08

Proces Verbal Of Reception Of Podnesak 394 -"Professor Vojislav Seselj's Motion For Trial Chamber Iii To Order Protective Measures And Ensure Protection Of ........"

Seselj

29-Sep-08

Decision Regarding Public Access To Trial Exhibits

Seselj

29-Sep-08

Decision On Motion By The Accused To Dismiss All Charges Against Him (Submission 387) And Its Addendum (Submission 391)