Karadzic Demands a Year to Prepare Closing Statement

Ahead of the resumption of Karadzic’s trial next week, when the last defence witness will testify, the former Bosnian Serb leader asked for an extended break because of the huge amount of evidence and testimony that he will have to sift through and sum up.

Karadzic argued that, in the only case of “similar complexity” at the Hague Tribunal, the defence teams for the former leaders of the unrecognised wartime Bosnian Croat statelet of Herzeg-Bosna were given nine months to prepare their closing statements.bec

“In the case against [the Bosnian Croat leaders], the volume of work could be divided among six indictees, their defence attorneys and assistants. In the case against Dr. Karadzic, he is the only one bearing the burden of preparing a closing statement,” his motion to the court said.

Karadzic said that, in order to prepare his closing statement, he would have to go through 48,000 pages of transcripts from hearings, 11,000 pieces of evidence and 2,300 determined facts, as well as testimonies from 600 witnesses.

“After that he has to analyse the complex accusations against him, which include 11 counts, four different joint criminal enterprises, 259 incidents and numerous cases of murder, causing of pain, destruction of property and forced resettlement. Finally, he has to prepare a clear final motion containing a limited number of words,” the motion said.

Karadzic is on trial for genocide in Srebrenica and seven other municipalities, the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout the country, terrorising the citizens of Sarajevo and taking UN peacekeepers hostage.