Media in Courtroom Represent a Threat to Prosecution
03 December 2009
Prosecutor Vesna Budimir asks for the exclusion of the public from the custody hearing, explaining that "the exposure of this case in the media puts pressure on the Prosecution". The Court approved the request.
Upholding a proposal made by Prosecutor Vesna Budimir, the Trial Chamber determined that the exclusion of the public from the custody extension hearing in the case of Nihad Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of the Zulfikar Special Purposes Squad with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, would ensure "the uninterrupted course of the proceedings".
"The Trial Chamber has decided to exclude the public as it considers that the threats, mentioned by the Prosecutor, in terms of media pressure, constitute a disturbance of public order. In addition, we consider that, by introducing this measure, we would ensure the protection of the Prosecutor," Trial Chamber Chairwoman Mira Smajlovic said.
The State Prosecution suspects that Bojadzic participated, on April 16, 1993, in war crimes against civilians and prisoners-of-war committed in Trusina village, in Konjic Municipality, when 22 people, including 19 civilians and three members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, were killed. Bojadzic was arrested on November 4 this year. He has been held in custody since then.
In September 2009 Nedzad Hodzic, Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin and Senad Hakalovic, former members of the Zulfikar Special Purposes Squad and the Neretvica 45th Mountain Brigade with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, were arrested due to suspicion that they participated in the same crime. The four men are in custody.
"The Court knows what happened in the courtroom at the custody hearing in the case of the four other members who are suspected of the same crime. I was threatened in front of the judge in the courtroom," Budimir said.
Edina Residovic, Bojadzic's Defence attorney, objected to the Prosecution's proposal, saying that the Court's work was public and adding that the threats mentioned by the Prosecutor "were not initiated by Bojadzic, but the other suspects in this case".
At the custody hearing in the case of Nihad Bojadzic, held on November 5 this year, Prosecutor Budimir said that the suspect had "interfered with the investigation for some time, by threatening witnesses, investigators and the Prosecutor".
The Court will render its decision concerning the custody extension at a later stage.
Justice Report is a
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local courts; development of the local legal system; and efforts to come to
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