The Hague Awaits Karadzic’s Extradition

Friday is the legal deadline for appealing the decision made by the investigative judge related to the conditions for the extradition of Radovan Karadzic from Serbia to The Hague Tribunal. After this date, the District Court in Belgrade shall render a final decision concerning his extradition. The Serbian Government will then order his extradition.

Svetozar Vujacic, Karadzic’s attorney, announced that he would file an appeal.He told the media on several occasions that he would file the appeal “on Friday evening” so that the District Court in Belgrade would render a decision concerning the extradition of his client next week.

By the Law on Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, the District Court in Belgrade is due to consider the appeal and render a decision, determining whether the conditions have been met to transfer Karadzic to The Hague, no later than three days after the appeal has been filed.

“When the Trial Chamber receives the appeal, it shall convene a session to decide upon that appeal,” Ivana Ramic, spokesperson of the District Court in Belgrade,said.

In case the Court rejects the appeal, the decision becomes legally-binding and,as such, it is submitted to the Justice Ministry, which issues a decision,ordering the transfer of the ICTY indictee to The Hague. This decision is to be executed by the Interior Ministry.

Radovan Karadzic, former top ICTY fugitive, was arrested in Belgrade on July 21 this year, after having been on the run for 13 years. The Hague Prosecution charges him with genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of international conventions in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995, while he was president of the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS, and the first president of Republika Srpska, RS.

Mladen Bosic, current president of the SDS, visited Karadzic in the detention unit in Belgrade. Following the visit, he told the reporters that this was not a political meeting, adding that “Karadzic was feeling well, both physically and mentally” but he “regrets that so many people were persecuted during the search for him.”

“Our party will do all it can to help Karadzic in the course of the trial against him before the Hague Tribunal,” Bosic told the reporters, adding that SDS members are aware of the fact that “the trial of Karadzic will actually be a trial against the Republika Srpska.”

As indicated by Bosic, it is in the best interests of Republika Srpska to help Karadzic’s defence. He said that this should be a state and national priority, which should be placed before all other daily issues.

Karadzic’s name was removed from the list of SDS members in 2001. Bosic says that this came as a result of the pressure put up by the international community, which warned the party could be declared illegal.

Unlike Bosic, the Karadzic family members have not managed to pay him a visit in Belgrade, because they their travel documents were seized in January this year due to a suspicion that they were members of the ICTY fugitives’ support network.

Upon Karadzic’s arrival to The Hague Tribunal, which should take place next week, he is due to appear before the Trial Chamber, when his indictment will be read to him. As per the ICTY procedures, Karadzic is due to attend a plea hearing not later than 30 days after his first appearance before the judge or Trial Chamber.