Karadzic: No Trial Date

It is still not known when the trial of Radovan Karadzic in The Hague will begin.

Judge Iain Bonomy, speaking at yet another status conference before the Hague Tribunal, concluded that “it is not likely” the trial will begin before September.

“Even the pre-trial conference cannot be organized before September,” Judge Bonomy said.

Earlier, it was announced that the long-awaited trial might begin in late August or early September.

“Did you mean September this year? The materials that I have demand months and months of preparation. I would like to know the year in which the trial would begin,” Karadzic commented in court.

Karadzic, the wartime Bosnian Serb leader, was arrested in July 2008 after years spent in hiding. The Hague Prosecution has charged him with a series of crimes, including genocide, ethnic cleansing and participation in a joint criminal enterprise.

In late May this year, Karadzic requested that the Tribunal abandon its effort to try him, citing an agreement on immunity from prosecution that Karadzic says he signed with former US envoy to the Balkans Richard Holbrooke.

The defendant has also complained on several occasions that the indictment against him is too broad, suggesting that the Trial Chamber order the Prosecution to drop some parts of it.

“I am surprised to see the Prosecution delve into such an extensive work… The fact is that this is such a huge process that it would last for years,” said Karadzic, adding that he is “certain” the Prosecution does not have “sufficient” evidence against him.

Prosecutor Alan Tiger announced he would need around 490 hours to present all the planned evidence and examine more than 150 planned witnesses. The court suggested that the Prosecution think about streamlining the presentation of evidence, but this will be discussed at a later date.

Another status conference will be held before September, and the date will be made public in due course.

Another two persons are wanted by the Hague Tribunal – Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. If Mladic, charged with similar acts as Karadzic, is arrested soon, there is a possibility, it was indicated, of the two indictments being merged and of the two indictees being tried together.