Defence Requests Shortening of Workweek

Batinic, former member of the Republika Srpska Army, who used to work as an interpreter with UN’s observers, told the judges yesterday that Serb officers considered that the explosions in Vase Miskina Street in May 1992 and at Markale market place in February 1994 were “staged” and that they were caused by Muslim forces with the aim of accusing the Serb side.  

While being cross-examined by Prosecutor Margaret Hasan today, Batinic confirmed that he did not participate in investigations into those explosions and that he was not an artillery expert.

The witness repeated that he just conveyed what the VRS officers told the UN military observers.

According to the charges against Mladic, the then VRS Commander, a mine-thrower grenade, which was fired from Serb positions, killed 66 and wounded 140 persons at Markale on February 5, 1994.

Twenty-eight citizens, who were queuing for bread, were killed and more than 100 were wounded in an explosion in Vase Miskina Street on May 28, 1992. This incident is not included in the indictment against general Mladic.

Towards the end of Batinic’s testimony, the judges removed Mladic from the courtroom again for having commented on the witness’ testimony aloud. Following Batinic’s testimony, the indictee was allowed to come back to the courtroom and attend the part of the hearing, which was closed to public.

At the beginning of the hearing Mladic’s Defence requested the Tribunal to shorten the workweek at this trial from five to four working days, due to a risk that the indictee might have a stroke due to exhaustion, as indicated by attorney Branko Lukic.

Lukic based his request on opinions by four physicians, indicating that a four-day working week was applied at the trials against indictees Radovan Karadzic and Zdravko Tolimir.

Prosecutor Dermot Groome objected to the request, claiming that the doctors’ recommendation was too generalised without a detailed medical explanation.   

The Trial Chamber will decide on the Defence’s request at a later stage.  

At the end of the Prosecution’s evidence presenting the Appellate Chamber ordered that the Tribunal held sessions four times a week in Mladic’s case, but, as the Defence began presenting its evidence, the workweek was extended again, as per a decision by the Trial Chamber.

The trial of Mladic, who is charged with genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of Muslims and Croats throughout BiH, which reached the scale of genocide in seven municipalities, and taking UN “blue helmets” hostage, is due to continue on Monday, June 16.