Klickovic et al: Retrial Begins July 3
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At a pre-trial status conference in case against Klickovic and Drljaca, the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced that the Prosecution had submitted its evidence presentation plan in writing.
Dusko Tomic, Defence attorney of indictee Klickovic, said that he would announce his evidence presentation plan once the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina had completed the presentation of its evidence.
My defence depends on what the Prosecution will present during this retrial, indictee Drljaca said.
Under a first instance verdict pronounced in November 2010, Klickovic, Drljaca and Jovan Ostojic were acquitted of the charges that they participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the aim of dividing the Bosanska Krupa municipality and creating territories where Serbs would form absolute majority.
According to the charges, Klickovic was President of the wartime Presidency and Commander of the Crisis Committee of the Serbian municipality of Bosanska Krupa, Ostojic was Commander of the 11th Light Krupa Brigade with the Republika Srpska Army, VRS and Drljaca was Chairman of a chamber with the temporary Court Martial in Jasenica.
In May this year the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina quashed the first instance verdict, under which Klickovic and Drljaca were acquitted of charges for crimes in Bosanska Krupa, and ordered a retrial. The verdict of release against Ostojic was confirmed.
Milan Trbojevic and Senad Kreho, Defence attorneys of indictee Drljaca, failed to attend the status conference. The Appellate Chamber explained that they were absent due to annual leave and previous engagements related to another case.
I cannot do without defence attorneys. I cannot defend myself. I am sorry for having come for nothing, as I have costs too. I therefore propose that the status conference be postponed, Drljaca said.
The Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not postpone the status conference, saying that a previous one had been postponed after the Defence teams had requested exemption of Appellate Chamber members.
During the status conference held on June 1 the Defence teams requested exemption of all three members of the Appellate Chamber. It was said, at the status conference held today, that a decision about the Defences request had been made, but the decision was not publicly announced.
The Appellate Chamber sitting in this case consists of Chairman Dragomir Vukoje and members Senadin Begtasevic and Philip Weiner.
S.U.
