Trbic: Defence completes its evidence presentation

The Defence of Milorad Trbic, who is charged with genocide in Srebrenica, completed its evidence presentation by presenting the last piece of material evidence – a report made by the Republika Srpska Commission for investigation of events that happened in Srebrenica and its vicinity between July 10 and July 17, 1995.

Milan Trbojevic, Trbic’s Defence attorney, said that he would present “the research part of the text only, without the annexes”, claiming that the annexes “contained many petty-political statements”.

The State Prosecution charges Trbic, as former assistant commander for security with Zvornik Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, with genocide and participation in the forced resettlement and execution of Bosniaks from Srebrenica.

The Trial Chamber will render its decision concerning the additional evidence presentation request, made by the Prosecution, at the next hearing, due to “a lack of time for translation and familiarisation with the Prosecutor’s proposal”.

A status conference was held during the course of this hearing. At the conference, the participants discussed the BIRN – Justice Report interview with David Schwendiman, Chief Prosecutor of the War Crimes Chamber of the State Prosecution.

Trial Chamber Chairman Davorin Jukic said that the Court was informed that “the data, published in the mentioned text, came as a result of a mistake made by Chief Prosecutor Schwendimen”.

Prosecutor David Schwendiman was interviewed by BIRN – Justice Report. The interview was published on September 19 this year. In the mentioned interview, the Prosecutor gave the wrong information to the journalist, referring to one of the trials for Srebrenica crimes. Last week a status conference was held before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to discuss the BIRN text. At the conference it was said that the mistake was made by BIRN and not by the Prosecutor.

Only after the status conference BIRN received a written apology from Prosecutor Schwendiman, in which he said that, by mistake, he provided an incorrect piece of information to the journalist.

The trial is due to continue on November 3.