Ramic trial to begin on December 18

Both sides will present their opening arguments on December 18, at the trial of Niset Ramic, who charged with crime committed against Bosnian Serbs in 1992.

According to the indictment, in June 1992 Ramic, a former member of the Second Detachment of the Territorial Defence Unit Visoko, together with others, took part in actions of disarmament of Serb population in villages Viljenjak, Kalotici, Hlapcevici and Paljike, during which he killed four persons.

During the status conference, the prosecution announced that it will question nine witnesses during the trial,including two court-appointed experts.

“We need ten to 11 days to question witnesses and present physical evidence,” prosecutor Slavica Terzic said.

According to defence attorney Petko Pavlovic, the defence will question “six to ten witnesses”, including one court-appointed expert.

“We need approximately the same number of days as the prosecution,” Pavlovic told the court.

The indictee also addressed the Trial Chamber and asked to question another nine witnesses, including Bosnian parliament member Hasan Cengic and former Central Bosnia canton internal affairs minister Midhat Zubaca.

“I want the Bosnian court to take newspaper articles, interviews given by Midhat Zubaca, in which he says very positive things about me,” Ramic said.

After the war, Ramic was convicted of a serious crime and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He was serving this sentence in the Zenica Correctional Facility until the war crime charges were pressed.

At his request, he was then transferred to Sarajevo, but during the status conference he asked to be transferred again because”the conditions are poor”.

After presentation of opening arguments on December 18, first prosecution witnesses will appear on January 9, 2007.