TRIAL ADJOURNED INDEFINITELY; MILOSEVIC STILL ILL
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - November 21, 2005

Written by: Andy Wilcoxson

The trial of Slobodan Milosevic did not resume on Monday because Milosevic is ill. The judges announced that they will be receiving a medical report from the prison doctor and a cardiologist sometime today.

Mr. Nice expressed the prosecution's view that the trial should continue in the absence of Milosevic. Such a scenario would violate Article 14.3 (D) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as Article 21.4 (D) of the the Hague Tribunal's statute, which guarantees every accused the right “to be tried in his presence, and to defend himself in person.”

In spite of the law, the tribunal has attempted to continue the trial in Milosevic's absence before. Earlier this year, defense witness Kosta Bulatovic was convicted of contempt because he refused to comply with an illegal court order to give testimony in Milosevic's absence.

Earlier this month an international medical team recommended that the trial be adjourned for at least six weeks to give Milosevic's health time to stabilize. The tribunal ignored the doctor's advice and the trial continued until last Wednesday afternoon when Milosevic just got too sick to continue.

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