Karadzic Requests Exemption of Judges

Radovan Karadzic,former President of Republika Srpska, who is charged with genocide and other crimes in BiH, files a motion with The Hague Tribunal, requesting exemption of all judges sitting at his trial, saying that their mandates have expired.

Autor:

Radoša Milutinović

17. july 2014. | 00:00

This post is also available in: Bosnian

Karadzic requested the exemption of Trial Chamber Chairman O-Gon Kwon, Chamber members Howard Morrison and Melville Baird, as well as reserve judge Flavia Lattanzi.

The indictee explained his motion by saying that the mandate to which the UN’s General Assembly re-elected
the judges expired yesterday, July 16, 2014.

“As of today their legally-set mandate has expired. Therefore, there is no legal ground for them to continue working on Radovan Karadzic’s case,” he said in his motion.

The Defence rejected the fact that the UN’s Security Council extended the judges’ mandate until the end of this year, explaining that the Council did “not have the authority”to extend their mandate.

The presentation of closing statement at Karadzic’s trial is due to begin on September 29.

Karadzic is charged with genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of Muslims and Croats throughout BiH,which reached the scale of genocide in seven municipalities, terror against the local population in Sarajevo and taking UN “blue helmets” hostage.