War-crimes trial adjourns for decision on Karadzic boycott

The United Nations Yugoslav war-crimes court adjourned Radovan Karadzic’s genocide trial on Tuesday, saying it will announce this week how to proceed the case in the face of his continued boycott.

“The trial chamber ... will issue its decision on this matter in writing later this week,” presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon said in the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

“We adjourn the trial pending the chamber’s decision.”

The court on Tuesday heard arguments by Karadzic and the prosecution on how to proceed with his trial, from which he has been absent since it started on October 26.

Karadzic is insisting on more time to prepare his defence, which he is conducting himself, on 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during Bosnia’s 1992-95 war.

This was his first appearance before the judges since the start of the trial.

The judge cancelled a hearing scheduled for Wednesday to hear the prosecution’s first witnesses.—AFP