Karadzic appears at war crimes tribunal 00000401919515, others available (2nd Lead)

Nov 3, 2009, 13:46 GMT

The Hague - Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic arrived at a war crimes tribunal in The Hague Tuesday afternoon for a hearing about the future of his trial, which he had so far refused to attend.

Karadzic, who 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, is representing himself at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

Repeating his request for more preparation time, the former psychiatrist told the judges that although the defence had encountered 'nothing but obstacles from the very beginning,' he had worked day and night and 'invested an inhuman effort' in his defence.

'I have,' Karadzic said, 'even given up my daily walks and sports.'

Refraining to indicate when exactly he would be ready for trial, the former Bosnian Serb leader said he would come to court before the expiration of the ten months extra time he had initially requested.

'I will come in court as soon as I am ready and I will inform you about it two weeks in advance,' Karadzic said.

'What kind of trial is it going to be, if there is no proper defence,' he further asked.

Presiding judge O-Gon Kwon noted the defendant 'merely repeated the arguments' already made before the appeals chamber and insisted it was 'the chamber, not the accused' who determined when a trial could begin.

The prosecution said that if Karadzic would still refuse to attend the proceedings, then the 'circumstances of this trial demand the imposition of a counsel.'

The second option prosecutor Hildegard Uertz-Retzlaff proposed was that the court would compel Karadzic to be present at his trial.

Last week, Kwon already indicated that if Karadzic refused to attend Tuesday's hearing, the chamber might decide to continue proceedings in his absence or impose a lawyer on him for his defence.

Kwon also said the accused's right to be present at a trial is 'not absolute', and that Karadzic's choice not to be present could be considered the voluntary waiving of this right.

In a letter sent to presiding judge Kwon on Sunday, Karadzic said he hoped 'we will be able to find a solution which will lead not only to an expeditious trial, but a fair one.'