Karadzic: Appeal to Harvey's Appointment Rejected
12 February 2010 The Appellate Chamber of the Hague Tribunal has rejected Radovan Karadzic's appeal to the appointment of Richard Harvey as reserve defence attorney.
"Considering the flexibility demonstrated by the Registrar's Office when it appointed a reserve attorney to Karadzic, the Appellate Chamber does not see the basis for giving Karadzic an additional opportunity to select his reserve attorneys," the decision issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, says.
Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska and Supreme Commander of its armed forces, asked the Hague Tribunal in January this year to let him personally select his reserve Defence attorney.
The Hague Prosecution charges Karadzic with genocide committed in Srebrenica and ten other municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war from 1992 to 1995.
The trial of Karadzic began in October last year with the presentation of introductory arguments by the Prosecution, but the indictee refused to attend the hearings claiming that he needed "additional time to prepare his defence".
In November last year the Registrar's Office, acting on a warrant issued by the Trial Chamber, appointed Richard Harvey as Karadzic's Defence attorney. This did not prejudice the indictee's right to represent himself if he stopped "boycotting the trial". Karadzic filed several objections to the attorney appointment decision, claiming that the Office of the Registrar had offered him a list containing five selected attorneys only.
The Trial Chamber rejected Karadzic's appeal, but Karadzic filed an appeal with the Appellate Chamber.
"Not one reason mentioned by Karadzic proves that the Trial Chamber misused its position. We conclude that the Registrar performed his task in a correct manner. The Appellate Chamber is satisfied with the fact that the Trial Chamber's actions were within the range of its competencies. We determine that the criteria applied in this case did not lead to any legal issues," the Appellate Chamber ruled.
The trial of Radovan Karadzic is scheduled to continue on March 1st, 2010.
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