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The Hague, 20 October 2006
RH/MO/1123e
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The Tribunal's Appeals Chamber today reversed the Trial Chamber's Decision to assign counsel to represent Vojislav 委鈹lj.
The Appeals Chamber explicitly warned 委鈹lj that, "should his self-representation subsequent to this Decision substantially obstruct the proper and expeditious proceedings in his case, the Trial Chamber will be justified in promptly assigning him counsel after allowing 委鈹lj the right to be heard with respect to his subsequent behaviour".
The Trial Chamber decided on 21 August 2006 to assign 委鈹lj a defence counsel on the basis that "the conduct of the Accused as a whole - obstructionist and disruptive behavior; deliberate disrespect for the rules; intimidation of, and slanderous comments about, witnesses - leads Chamber to conclude that there is a strong indication that his self-representation may substantially and persistently obstruct the proper and expeditious conduct of a fair trial."
In today's ruling, the Appeals Chamber granted in part the appeal filed by the assigned stand-by counsel in this case, Tjarda Eduard van der Spoel, "in light of the absence of a specific warning to 委鈹lj before assigning him counsel".
The trial in the Prosecutor vs. Vojislav 委鈹lj case is scheduled to start on 2 November 2006 .
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The full text of the Appeal Chamber Decision can be found at:
http://www.un.org/icty/seselj/trialc/decision-e/061020e.pdf
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