Trbic: Another Status Conference Held

The Trial Chamber rendered a decision to include as evidence the audio recordings and transcripts of the testimony of Vinko Pandurevic, who is charged with genocide, given before the Tribunal at The Hague.  

This decision pertains to the case of Milorad Trbic, who is charged under the indictment filed before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina with having participated, in his capacity as Assistant Commander for Security with the Zvornik Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, in the execution of more than 7,000 Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995.

Trial Chamber Chairman Davorin Jukic informed the parties that, besides the transcripts of Pandurevic’s testimony, the indictment against Trbic filed in North Carolina, USA, on April 1, 2003, would be included as evidence. Trbic lived in the USA after the Hague Tribunal had filed an indictment against him. 

Trbic was found guilty of having deceived the US immigration authorities. The local authorities rendered a decision ordering his deportation. In 2005 he was transferred to the Detention Unit of the Hague Tribunal and then to the local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

At this status conference the parties discussed the issue of legal and property claims filed by the injured parties. 

The trial of Trbic began in November 2007. In January this year the Prosecution appealed to the injured parties to file legal and property claims. 

The Prosecution informed the Trial Chamber that it had not been able to contact all the individuals who had filed claims.  

“You must bear in mind that there is a large number of claims. For this reason we need some more time, two more weeks at least,” the Prosecution said. 

The Court called on the Prosecution to speed up the process before it could respond concerning the issue. 

The trial is due to continue on May 18, 2009, when a new status conference will be held.