Karadzic to Face Criminal Tribunal Tomorrow

by Martha Heinemann Bixby · 2009-02-19 19:36:00 UTC
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Tomorrow, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague.

According to TVNZ:

He has already made clear his intent to represent himself and has been busy filing numerous motions over the past month contesting the appointment of judges, demanding former US peace mediator Richard Holbrooke and ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright appear at the tribunal, and challenging the legality of the case against him.

Karadzic argues that his trial is illegal because he was offered immunity by Holbrooke, who represented the United States during peace talks.

Holbrooke has repeatedly denied Karadzic's claims.

Aside from Karadzic's (almost definitely) delusional ideas that Holbrooke and Albright will bail him out, it will be interesting to watch this trial develop for future implications for international justice and determinations of genocide.

According to LexUniverse.com:

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) ruled that Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic would face two charges of genocide in stead of one. The first count referring to the crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 and the second one referring to the Serbenica Massacre.

...Karadzic faces in total, 11 charges of genocide, war crimes and crime against humanity for the 44 months (1992 - 1996) seize of Sarajevo - the longest seize in the modern history that left apparoximately 10,000 dead, and the July 1995 massacre of around 8000 muslim men and boys in Serbenica. Karadzic was co - founder of Serbian Democratic Party and President of Republika Srpska from 1992 to 1996.

(Read the initial indictment against Karadzic and his partner in crime, Ratko Mladic).

If Karadzic is convicted of genocide for crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina that would be the first "official" recognition that atrocities other than Srebrenica constituted genocide.  This would be an important step forward for victims and survivors of other horrendous crimes, such as those in Prijedor.

And to see what the US government is doing to promote sustained international involvement in Bosnia and Herzegovina's future, read and comment on House Resolution 171.

Stay tuned - Michelle and I will continue to update you on developments in this case.

Martha Heinemann Bixby
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