The leader of the Serbian Radical Party was today charged with contempt of court by the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the Balkans over allegedly revealing details about protected witnesses in his own trial.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) announced that it has initiated contempt proceedings against Vojislav Šešelj for having disclosed information on 11 protected witnesses in a book he authored, in violation of the Trial Chamber's orders. The information released included the witnesses' real names, their occupations and their places of residence.
The indictment follows a confidential decision made by the ICTY's appeals chamber on 17 December 2009 in which it found that the trial chamber had erred when it concluded in August last year that insufficient grounds existed to prosecute Mr. Šešelj for contempt. The prosecution's original motion related to three books, whose titles are confidential, authored by Mr. Šešelj. The prosecution appealed the trial chamber's findings in relation to only one of the three books.
This is the second time Mr. Šešelj faces charges of contempt. On 24 July 2009, he was found guilty of contempt and sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment for disclosing the name and other personal details of protected witnesses. The case is currently pending before the appeals chamber.
Mr. Šešelj had pleaded not guilty to nine charges at the ICTY, including murder, torture and persecution, relating to his alleged role in an ethnic cleansing campaign in the Vojvodina region of Serbia between 1991 and 1993.
The trial resumed at The Hague on 12 January following a year's delay after prosecutors said the case had been compromised by threats against witnesses.
Source: United Nations
Showing posts with label International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Show all posts
Friday, February 5, 2010
Sunday, March 5, 2006
MILAN BABIC FOUND DEAD IN DETENTION UNIT
At 18:30 hours on Sunday 5 March 2006, Milan Babić, a detained witness, was found dead in his cell at the United Nations Detention Unit in Scheveningen.
The Detention Unit Medical Officer confirmed Milan Babic's death shortly after his body was found. The Dutch authorities were called immediately. After conducting an investigation, they confirmed that the cause of death was suicide. Pursuant to his authority under the Tribunal's Statute and Rules of Detention, the Tribunal President, Judge Fausto Pocar, has ordered an internal inquiry.
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The Detention Unit Medical Officer confirmed Milan Babic's death shortly after his body was found. The Dutch authorities were called immediately. After conducting an investigation, they confirmed that the cause of death was suicide. Pursuant to his authority under the Tribunal's Statute and Rules of Detention, the Tribunal President, Judge Fausto Pocar, has ordered an internal inquiry.
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
MILAN BABIC SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT
Milan Babic was born in 1956 in Kukar, in Croatia. He is married with two children, and is a dentist by profession.
In October 2001 Babic initiated contact with this Tribunal after learning that he had been named as a co-perpetrator in the Croatia Indictment issued in the case of Slobodan Miloševic in September 2001. Babic agreed to be interviewed by the Prosecution and to testify in the Miloševic case. An indictment against Babic was confirmed in November 2003. The indictment charged him with persecution, murder, cruel treatment, wanton destruction of villages or devastation not justified by military necessity, and destruction or wilful damage to institutions dedicated to education or religion. The charges were based on events which took place in Croatian Krajina from August 1991 to February 1992.
In November 2003 Babic surrendered to the Tribunal. Two months later he filed a plea agreement jointly with the Prosecution. According to this agreement, Babic would admit to having aided and abetted the crime of persecutions, committed by a joint criminal enterprise, as charged in count 1 of the indictment. The goal of the joint criminal enterprise was the forcible permanent removal of Croat and other non-Serb populations from approximately one-third of Croatia, in order to transform the acquired territory into a Serb-dominated state through the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal.
Babic does not deny the seriousness of the crimes committed. Virtually the whole of the Croat and non-Serb population was expelled from the region in question, by forcible removal or by being caused to flee through fear of imminent attack. More than 200 civilians, including women and elderly persons, were murdered, and several hundred civilians were confined or imprisoned in inhumane conditions. The crime was characterized by ruthlessness and savagery and had a severe impact on victims and their relatives. Their suffering is still significant. The Trial Chamber is satisfied that Babic’s expression of remorse is sincere and constitutes a mitigating factor.
Having considered the arguments and the evidence presented by the parties, the Trial Chamber hereby sentences Milan Babic to 13 years of imprisonment. Milan Babic is entitled to credit for 211 days served in detention prior to this day. Milan Babic shall remain in the custody of the Tribunal until such time as arrangements for his transfer to the State in which he will serve his sentence have been finalized.
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
In October 2001 Babic initiated contact with this Tribunal after learning that he had been named as a co-perpetrator in the Croatia Indictment issued in the case of Slobodan Miloševic in September 2001. Babic agreed to be interviewed by the Prosecution and to testify in the Miloševic case. An indictment against Babic was confirmed in November 2003. The indictment charged him with persecution, murder, cruel treatment, wanton destruction of villages or devastation not justified by military necessity, and destruction or wilful damage to institutions dedicated to education or religion. The charges were based on events which took place in Croatian Krajina from August 1991 to February 1992.
In November 2003 Babic surrendered to the Tribunal. Two months later he filed a plea agreement jointly with the Prosecution. According to this agreement, Babic would admit to having aided and abetted the crime of persecutions, committed by a joint criminal enterprise, as charged in count 1 of the indictment. The goal of the joint criminal enterprise was the forcible permanent removal of Croat and other non-Serb populations from approximately one-third of Croatia, in order to transform the acquired territory into a Serb-dominated state through the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal.
Babic does not deny the seriousness of the crimes committed. Virtually the whole of the Croat and non-Serb population was expelled from the region in question, by forcible removal or by being caused to flee through fear of imminent attack. More than 200 civilians, including women and elderly persons, were murdered, and several hundred civilians were confined or imprisoned in inhumane conditions. The crime was characterized by ruthlessness and savagery and had a severe impact on victims and their relatives. Their suffering is still significant. The Trial Chamber is satisfied that Babic’s expression of remorse is sincere and constitutes a mitigating factor.
Having considered the arguments and the evidence presented by the parties, the Trial Chamber hereby sentences Milan Babic to 13 years of imprisonment. Milan Babic is entitled to credit for 211 days served in detention prior to this day. Milan Babic shall remain in the custody of the Tribunal until such time as arrangements for his transfer to the State in which he will serve his sentence have been finalized.
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Monday, November 17, 2003
MILAN BABIC INDICTED BY THE ICTY FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES
On Monday 17 November 2003, Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti confirmed an Indictment against Milan Babic.
According to the Indictment, Milan Babic participated in a joint criminal enterprise that came into existence no later than 1 August 1991 and continued until at least June 1992. The purpose of this joint criminal enterprise was the permanent forcible removal of the majority of the Croat and other non-Serb population from approximately one-third of the territory of the Republic of Croatia ("Croatia"), in order to make them part of a new Serb-dominated state through the commission of crimes in violation of Articles 3 and 5 of the Statute of the Tribunal."
In addition the Indictment states "Individuals participating in this joint criminal enterprise included Slobodan Milosevic; Milan Martic; Goran Hadzic; Jovica Stanisic; Franko Simatovic, also known as "Frenki"; Vojislav Seselj; General Blagoje Adzic; General Ratko Mladic and other known and unknown members of the Yugoslav People’s Army ("JNA"); the Serb Territorial Defence ("TO") of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro; local and Serbian police forces ("MUP forces"), including the State Security /Drzavna bezbednost ("DB") of the Republic of Serbia, and Serb police forces of the SAO Krajina and the RSK commonly referred to as "Martic’s Police," "Marticevci," "SAO Krajina Police" or "SAO Krajina Milicija" (hereinafter "Martic’s Police"). Milan Babic participated in this joint criminal enterprise until at least February 1992."
The Indictment further states that Milan Babic acting individually and/or in concert with other members of the joint criminal enterprise participated in the joint criminal enterprise in the following ways:
"In his capacity as the President of the SNC and subsequently as President/Prime Minister in the SAO Krajina and the RSK, he formulated, promoted, participated in, and/or encouraged the development and implementation of SDS and SAO Krajina/RSK governmental policies intended to advance the objective of the joint criminal enterprise. Throughout 1991, Milan Babic attended meetings with the Serbian, SFRY and Bosnian Serb leadership defining these policies of the joint criminal enterprise and presented its positions in international negotiations."
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
According to the Indictment, Milan Babic participated in a joint criminal enterprise that came into existence no later than 1 August 1991 and continued until at least June 1992. The purpose of this joint criminal enterprise was the permanent forcible removal of the majority of the Croat and other non-Serb population from approximately one-third of the territory of the Republic of Croatia ("Croatia"), in order to make them part of a new Serb-dominated state through the commission of crimes in violation of Articles 3 and 5 of the Statute of the Tribunal."
In addition the Indictment states "Individuals participating in this joint criminal enterprise included Slobodan Milosevic; Milan Martic; Goran Hadzic; Jovica Stanisic; Franko Simatovic, also known as "Frenki"; Vojislav Seselj; General Blagoje Adzic; General Ratko Mladic and other known and unknown members of the Yugoslav People’s Army ("JNA"); the Serb Territorial Defence ("TO") of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro; local and Serbian police forces ("MUP forces"), including the State Security /Drzavna bezbednost ("DB") of the Republic of Serbia, and Serb police forces of the SAO Krajina and the RSK commonly referred to as "Martic’s Police," "Marticevci," "SAO Krajina Police" or "SAO Krajina Milicija" (hereinafter "Martic’s Police"). Milan Babic participated in this joint criminal enterprise until at least February 1992."
The Indictment further states that Milan Babic acting individually and/or in concert with other members of the joint criminal enterprise participated in the joint criminal enterprise in the following ways:
"In his capacity as the President of the SNC and subsequently as President/Prime Minister in the SAO Krajina and the RSK, he formulated, promoted, participated in, and/or encouraged the development and implementation of SDS and SAO Krajina/RSK governmental policies intended to advance the objective of the joint criminal enterprise. Throughout 1991, Milan Babic attended meetings with the Serbian, SFRY and Bosnian Serb leadership defining these policies of the joint criminal enterprise and presented its positions in international negotiations."
Source: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Sunday, April 1, 2001
Milosevic arrested
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević has been arrested and taken to prison, where he is due to face questioning later on Sunday. His arrest came in the early hours of the morning, after a heavily-armed standoff at his Belgrade villa, where the ex-leader had been surrounded by police for nearly 36 hours.A convoy of five cars was seen speeding away from the scene. BK TV showed footage of the car carrying Mr Milosevic entering Belgrade's central prison and the security gates closing behind it. Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batić said Mr Milosevic had not yet been formally charged, but would face questioning by an investigating judge on charges of abuse of power and financial corruption.
Mr Milosevic is wanted on war crimes charges by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, but so far the Belgrade authorities have been unwilling to consider extraditing him. A number of people who tried to prevent Mr Milosevic's arrest have themselves now been detained, including several of his bodyguards. They are charged with illegally possessing and using arms during the first failed police attempt to detain Milosevic on Friday night.
Source: BBC
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