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Please
note that this is not a verbatim transcript of the Press Briefing. It is merely
a summary.
ICTY Weekly
Press Briefing
Date: 15.05.2002
Time: 2:00 p.m.
REGISTRY AND CHAMBERS
Jim Landale, Spokesman
for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
First, as you
will by now be aware, Milan Martic and Mile Mrksic were transferred to the UN
Detention Unit this morning from Belgrade. A press release has gone out on that
detailing the charges that they both face and some of the background to their
cases. The initial appearance for Milan Martic and Mile Mrksic will be held
within the next few days. I will keep you informed of any developments.
In terms of
court documents:
In the Milosevic
case on 14 May we received a "Decision on Prosecution Motion for Variation
of an Order of the Trial Chamber" denying a motion filed by the Prosecution
on 22 April 2002, which sought "an order that the cross-examination
of witnesses on matters of fact by the amici curiae be curtailed and only allowed
in exceptional circumstances…". Copies of the Decision will be available
after this.
On 13 May, we
received the "Prosecution Response to Interlocutory Appeal by Dragan
Jokic". Again, copies will be available after this.
Last week, we
received public redacted copies of the "Prosecution’s Response to the
Defence Appeal Brief" in the Krstic case. Copies will be available
after this briefing.
Last week, we
announced that in the Brdjanin and Talic case, Judge Schomburg, the Presiding
Judge of Trial Chamber II, had dismissed a joint Defence motion to disqualify
the Judge presiding over the trial. The defence is now seeking certification
to appeal that decision. The document that they submitted is in French and copies
will be available after this.
In terms of
the court schedule:
This Friday there
will be court maintenance carried out on the courtrooms and as a result there
will be no proceedings. Monday is a public holiday, so the next court sessions
will take place on Tuesday 21 May.
With regard to
the Outreach Programme, the Tribunal was pleased to host a group of members
of the Croatian Judiciary on Monday. The group was visiting the Tribunal as
part of a programme established by the Asser Institute focusing on court management
issues. The group included the Dean of the Zagreb Law Faculty and a Judge from
the Supreme Court.
In addition, last
weekend Outreach Kosovo helped to organise an event along with the OSCE and
other international organisations, which brought together international and
Kosovar Judges, Prosecutors and defence attorneys. Representatives from the
Tribunal were present -- two from Chambers and two from the OTP, as well as
two defence counsel practicing at the ICTY. The participants at the event discussed
elements of the crimes listed under in the Statute of the Tribunal and made
reference to ICTY jurisprudence. The event, which was held in Vushtrri north
of Prishtine, was attended by around 100 participants.
Please note that
next week and from now on the briefing will revert to our original time of around
1130 hours rather than 1400 hours now that this space is no longer the viewing
facility for Courtroom II which has moved to the plasma screen in the far corner
of the lobby.
Florence Hartmann,
Spokeswoman for the Office of the Prosecutor, made no statement:
Questions:
Asked to elaborate
on what she meant by the Martic case being an ‘easy case’, Hartmann replied
that she did not say that it was an ‘easy case’, but that it was a ‘clear case’.
Martic was indicted in 1995, soon after the events, on a very clear case, she
said. He was investigated on other issues afterwards and his Indictment would
be amended. She added that the OTP did not issue a new Indictment yet as it
was waiting for his arrival in The Hague.
She could not
give any further details, the only thing she could say was that in the Indictment
against Milosevic for Croatia, the name of Milan Martic was mentioned as a member
of a "joint criminal enterprise". Martic’s Indictment would be extended,
she stated.
At his first
appearance in the next days he would have to answer to the existing Indictment.
She could not give any dates about the amended Indictment against him, however,
he had been investigated for further events other than the specific events of
1995, she concluded.
Asked when to
expect the Decision on the Washington Post potential subpoena in the Brdjanin
and Talic case, Landale replied that there was no date that he was aware of.
The Judges had heard the submissions of the parties and were now considering
the matter. As soon as the Press Office received any Decision it would be passed
on.
Asked whether
the Judges would make their Decision during the ongoing trial, Landale replied
that he would check, but suspected that it would come in the form of a written
Decision. He did not know when it would arrive, however, as soon as it did he
would see to it that the media received copies.
Asked how the
media could obtain copies of the Rule 92 bis statements, Landale replied
that this was a new situation the Press Office was facing. The Press
Office had put a procedure in place to make sure that the media received the
92 bis statements as early as possible. At the moment they were being
received during the course of the day. The Press Office would see if it could
speed up the procedure, he said.
The media need to call the Press Office for the specific statements they required.
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