大象传媒 NEWS | The Reporters

Karadzic in the dock

Mark Mardell
29 Aug 08, 03:38 PM

The accused in case IT 95 05/18 walked into the otherwise empty court room flanked by two guards, upright and all but expressionless in a smart dark suit, white shirt and red tie. Peered at by those of us in the press and public gallery - on the same level, but behind thick glass running from wall to ceiling - he took a few papers out of his thin brief case and put on his head phones. He sat down, donned a pair of glasses and waited for the judge to appear.

Radovan Karadzic, captured in Belgrade last month, has been forced to shed the disguise that went with a new identity as a long-haired and bearded practitioner of alternative medicine. He has reverted to the familiar wartime almost bouffant hair-do and steely gaze. Throughout the hearing - attentive, courteous but defiant - he said that the court should do the same.
"I am deeply convinced that this court is representing itself falsely as a court of the international community whereas it is, in fact, a court of Nato whose aim is to liquidate me," he said.

The judge asked him to stand to hear the eleven charges against him. After a few seconds hesitation he did. But the judge didn't get very far. He read out the charge of genocide. Mr Karadzic told him he would not enter a plea because of his attitude towards the court. The judge said that, in accordance with the rules, he would enter a plea of not guilty on his behalf.. So he never read the full charges, of indictment to murder, torture, rape and inhumane treatment.

Later, Mr Karadzic attempted a joke - dry, grim or sick according to your temperament:

"May I hold you to your word?" he asked.

"Which word?" the judge replied.

"That I am not guilty."

"We shall see in due course, Mr Karadzic."

The hearing ended with the focus not on the accused but with something of a ticking off for the defence from the judge. They hadn't updated the charges and weren't planning to do so until the end of next month. The judge - who obviously runs a tight court - was not at all amused.

Mr Karadzic will be here again on 17 September when his allegations about the nature of the court will be heard at some length. The court rose and the judge and most legal representatives left the room. Just Mr Karadzic, his guards and ourselves behind the glass were left. As we shuffled out a lawyer came back in and spoke to Mr Karadzic. I have no idea what was being said but, for a moment, the accused's impassive face broke into a very quick grin of amusement.

Still no sign of Radovan Karadzic

Mark Mardell
29 Aug 08, 08:58 AM

It's rather a strange feeling to be back in The Hague as my first trip after the holidays. I was here, rather fruitlessly awaiting Radovan Karadzic's arrival before my break began. I left before he arrived. Shorn of long hair and beard at his first appearance, he was given 30 days to enter a plea. If he doesn't, the judge will do it for him today. He has already challenged the appointed judge and got him changed.

Radovan Karadzic Although he seems to be co-operating with the court more than his mentor Slobodan Milosevic, he maintains that this is a political court and that he won't get a fair trial. Some I speak to suggest that the rules of evidence and identification are slack and wouldn't do in Britain. But rules vary on such matters all over Europe and those in charge insist that the proceedings are fair.

But is there is a bigger problem with such courts? Karadzic himself has evidently said that "everybody in the world" thinks he is guilty. Few deny that the killings, rapes and torture took place and few deny they were a terrible wrong (some, of course, do and either claim they did not happen on such a scale or were a part of the conduct of war). Few deny that Karadzic was in political control although it's notoriously difficult to establish who gave what exact commands. Historians still discuss whether Hitler actually gave direct orders to instigate the Holocaust even though it was pretty obvious for years beforehand where Nazi policy would lead. Whatever plea Karadzic enters, is anyone in any doubt about the verdict?