Krstic Refuses to Testify in Defence of Karadzic

At Karadzic’s request, the Hague Tribunal issued a special warrant ordering Krstic to testify after he had refused to do it voluntarily. Krstic appeared in court, but he refused to read a solemn oath that he would tell the truth, which would officially make him a witness.

“You rendered a decision concerning Karadzic’s request. Regardless of the fact that the request is legally grounded, I consider it irrational and inhuman and it represents an act of violence. With due esteem and respect of the Tribunal’s decision, I stick to my stand that I am not capable of testifying at this trial due to health reasons only,” Krstic said.

In 2004 the Hague Tribunal pronounced a second instance verdict sentencing Krstic, former Commander of the Drina Corps of VRS, to 35 years in prison for assisting in and supporting the commission of genocide in Srebrenica.

Radovan Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska and supreme Commander of VRS, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniaks in July 1995, as well as terrorizing civilians in Sarajevo, persecution of Bosniaks and Croats and taking members of international forces hostage.

Krstic said that his “health has deteriorated” and that he suffers from “post-traumatic syndrome”.

“The mere thought of saying something before this Court causes stress,” Krstic said, accusing Karadzic of ignoring it and “unscrupulously running over” him.

“While being governed by his goal, Karadzic thinks that I do not want to testify in his defence, which is not true,” Krstic said.

Saying that he respected all of the things that Krstic had lived through, Karadzic stuck to his intention to ask him “just a few questions” about the happenings in Srebrenica, because he “does not have a replacement for this witness”.

Krstic stuck to his stand that he “cannot go against my health” even after the judges warned him by saying that he could be charged with contempt of court if he refused to testify.

The judges then ordered that Krstic should undergo additional medical and psychiatric examinations by March 8 in order to determine whether he was mentally capable of testifying and whether it would deteriorate his health.