Hague Charges Bosnian Serb General With Contempt

Krstic could face up to seven years in prison, a 100,000 euro fine, or both, after he twice declined to give evidence at Bosnian Serb leader Karadzic’s trial because he said he was physically unable to do so.

He was subpoenaed on Karadzic’s request and brought to the courtroom on February 7, but refused to be sworn in, saying he could not testify “solely for health reasons”.

“The very thought of me saying anything before this court causes stress for me,” he said, accusing Karadzic of “ruthlessly trampling” all over him.

Krstic, wartime commander of the Drina Corps of the Bosnian Serb Army, was sentenced by the Tribunal in 2004 to 35 years in prison for aiding and abetting genocide in Srebrenica. Karadzic is also facing genocide charges over the Srebrenica massacres in 1995.

Krstic had been serving his sentence in Britain but was returned to the Netherlands after his neck was slashed in a revenge attack by three Muslim inmates at a high-security prison in 2010.

The 65-year-old ex-general said he was “under the constant watch of doctors and psychiatrists” in the Sheveningen detention centre where he is now jailed.

The trial chamber then ordered Krstic to undergo medical and psychiatric evaluation which, said presiding judge O-gon Kwon, showed there were no medical reasons for him not to testify.

Krstic was brought before the judges again on February 25, but he repeated that he could not testify, although presiding judge Kwon warned him he could be held in contempt of court.

“For reasons you know about, I did not change my stance that I cannot testify in this case. I simply cannot go against my health,” Krstic said in the courtroom.

Krstic’s plea hearing on the contempt charge is scheduled for April 4.