Karadzic war crimes tribunal adjourns after brief opening (Roundup)

Oct 26, 2009, 13:04 GMT

A file photograph showing former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. EPA/VALERIE KUYPERS / POOL

The Hague - The war crimes trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in The Hague was adjourned for a day Monday shortly following its opening after the defendant made good on his promise to boycott proceedings.

'I establish that Mr Karadzic is not present,' said Presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon at the start of the session at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The 64-year old Karadzic indicated on Friday that he would not show up at the trial as he was insufficiently prepared.

Karadzic faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including two counts of genocide, for acts allegedly committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war, including the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre in 1995.

Outside the tribunal's building, some 150 relatives of the 8,000 men who were brutally killed in the massacre, rallied, carrying signs that read 'Europe, shame on you' and 'genocide.'

'We are here to protest because we are still waiting for justice to be done for the victims and survivors,' said a spokeswoman for a group called Mothers of Srebrenica on behalf of relatives of the men Bosnian Serb forces shot after taking over the declared UN-safe area.

Inside the courtroom, Kwon urged Karadzic to attend the proceedings on Tuesday, when the prosecution would deliver its opening statements.

Karadzic could be called upon to address the court for the first time after the prosecution completes the presentation of its case against him, Kwon added.

If however Karadzic still refrained from joining the proceedings, he could no longer make use of this right to hear witnesses, the court said. However, he would continue to receive court transcripts so that he would know what had been discussed.

Prosecutor Hildegard Uertz-Retzlaff meanwhile asked the court to issue an official warning to Karadzic for obstructing ongoing trial proceedings. If he failed to respond, counsel should be appointed for him, she said.

The tribunal's rules of procedure determine that a defendant's presence in court is essential to constitute a fair trial.

On Friday, Karadzic informed the tribunal of his planned absence in a six-page letter, in which he reiterated that his defence was 'not ready for trial' and would, therefore, 'not appear before you.'

Last month, the tribunal's appeals chamber rejected Karadzic's request for a 10-month postponement of the trial.