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Lazarevic et al: Appointment of new Defence attorneys

23 April 2008  The Prosecution of BiH objects the Court's decision on the appointment of new Defence attorneys.

After the Trial Chamber rendered a decision to appoint additional attorneys to the four indictees, who are charged with crimes committed in Zvornik area, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, filed an objection, explaining that it was "representing the interests of the state" bearing in mind the additional costs which will be incurred by such a decision. The Court will reconsider the Defence's request.

Sreten Lazarevic, Dragan Stanojevic, Mile Markovic and Slobodan Ostojic are charged with having participated in causing injuries to Bosniaks detained in the Offence Court building and "Novi izvor" building in Zvornik in 1992 and 1993.

At the beginning of the trial, the Court of BiH appointed one Defence attorney for each indictee. After that, the Defence filed a request for the appointment of additional attorneys due to the "complexity of the case." After the Trial Chamber approved the Defence's request, the Prosecution of BiH filed an objection. The Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH has now ordered that the decision is reconsidered.

"I must stress that the Prosecution of BiH protects the interests of this country and it is in our interest to ensure that this process is cost-efficient. I remind the Defence that it can get help from the Criminal Defence Section, whose resources it can use. We consider that the absence of Defence attorneys at some hearings due to their obligations related to other cases are subjective and not objective reasons," said Prosecutor Bozidarka Dodik.

This is the first time the Prosecution of BiH has filed an objection with the Court of BiH against a decision on the appointment of additional Defence attorneys.

"We consider that the stand of this Chamber was in the best interest of justice. I must stress that the Defence will never be in the same position as the Prosecution. I can only say that the aim of this objection is to weaken the Defence, which is already weak. Expecting one attorney to perform all works is pretentious," said Miodrag Stojanovic, Defence attorney for indictee Ostojic.

The Court will announce its decision concerning the objection at a later stage.