Mladic: Beginning of Trial May 16

Although Mladic’s Defence said again that the trial could not begin until the Prosecution had revealed all pieces of its evidence, the Chamber decided to begin with the trial two days after the originally planned date.

It was said that the Prosecution would need six hours for presentation of its introductory statement, while the Defence and indictee Mladic would present their introductory statements once the Prosecution had completed the presentation of its evidence.

The first, out of 413 witnesses, is due to testify on May 29. The presentation of the Prosecution’s evidence will last 200 working hours.

Explaining his request for the postponement of the trial, Branko Lukic, Defence attorney of Mladic, said that the Prosecution had still not provided the Defence with 66 percent of the transcripts of statements from other trials given by witnesses, who will also appear at Mladic’s trial.

The Prosecution and Defence of indictee Mladic are due to meet at the end of the week in order to jointly solve the problem related to the disclosure of evidence material. Following the meeting, they will submit a report to the Trial Chamber.

Judge Alphons Orie said that, once he had received the mentioned report, he would schedule a new status conference next week.

Ratko Mladic is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period from 1992 to 1995. He was arrested in May last year. He made his initial appearance before Hague Tribunal judges on June 3, 2011.

At this status conference indictee Mladic reminded the Court that he was in his seventies and “getting weaker and weaker every day”, adding that he would not be able to follow the trials if hearings would be held five days a week. Also, Mladic complained to the Trial Chamber due to the fact that photos of his arrest were published instead of photos from the courtroom.

“I have recovered. I want my friends and my people to see me standing. I want my enemies to drop dead because I am still alive,” Mladic said.

Judge Orie expressed his satisfaction with Mladic’s allegation that he “has recovered” since his arrival to the Tribunal.
M.B.