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Court expert Senad Pesto said that indictee Ferid Hodzic’s state was “extremely risky and difficult”, recommending an urgent “bypass heart surgery”.
The indictment charges Hodzic, as commander of the Territorial Defence in Vlasenica, with having participated in the crimes against Serbian civilians and prisoners of war in “Stala” prison in Rovasi in 1992 and 1993.
Court expert Pesto explained that “the bypass surgery is the only alternative”, adding that it should be conducted in Tuzla, where Hodzic has been treated up to now. He said that the surgery and the post-surgery recovery would last “for three or four weeks”, adding that the indictee would be able to follow the trial afterwards.
Defence attorney Asim Crnalic objected, due to “forcing the indictee to do something that might have fatal consequences”. He asked for the trial to be postponed until further notice. The Trial Chamber accepted his proposal.
Trial Chamber Chairman Tihomir Lukes explained that the trial was postponed in order to “disburden the indictee”, adding that, following the surgery, the Chamber would “ask the court expert to assess again whether the indictee is able to follow the trial” and schedule the next hearing.
