Home
WHEN WILL STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC RE-TRIAL BEGIN?
At a status conference on Jovica Stanisic’s and Franko Simatovic’s re-trial before the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, the parties discussed preparations for the new trial. It remains unclear if the re-trial will begin in 2016 or in 2017
Burton Hall, judge The date for the re-trial of former Serbian State Security chiefs, Jovica Stanisic and
Franko Simatovic, remains uncertain. The status conference was held without the
two accused that have previously been granted provisional release. The prosecution
has indicated that due to staff shortages it wouldn’t be able to submit pre-trial briefs
before mid-September 2016. The defense requested the same amount of time for its
preparations. The new trial should begin in April or May 2017, the defense proposed.
According to the schedule presented by the Trial Chamber led by Judge Burton Hall,
the prosecution would have to file the pre-trial brief by 14 July 2016, and the trial
should start in December 2016, before the winter recess.
Prosecutor Douglas Stringer noted that due to lack of staff and resources the
prosecution would not be able to complete the pre-trial brief by mid-July 2016. If the
trial begins in December 2016, the prosecution will ask for two more months – until
mid-September 2016 – to produce the document.
According to Wayne Jordash and Mihajlo Bakrac, representing Stanisic and
Simatovic, ‘if the prosecution needs nine months to prepare for the trial, it’s only
logical that we will need the same amount of time’. 'It is not realistic’ to expect the
trial to begin in December 2016, the defense counsels said, proposing instead April
or May 2017 for the opening of the trial.
During the status conference Stanisic’s defense counsel sought permission to
address the pre-trial judgment on the issue of the ability of his client to attend the trial
and options to accommodate Stanisic and his mental and physical health
problems. That part of the hearing went on in closed session. At the status
conference in February 2016 Jordash indicated that he would ask for Jovica Stanisic
to be allowed to follow the trial from Belgrade.
Sharing
Linked Reports
- Case : Stanisic & Simatovic
- 2016-02-19 STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC TO BE RETRIED THIS YEAR... OR POSSIBLY NEXT?
- 2015-12-18 STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC DENIED RESPONSIBILITY
- 2015-12-17 JUDGES APPOINTED FOR STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC RETRIAL
- 2016-12-14 STATUS CONFERENCE IN STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC RETRIAL
- 2017-04-08 STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC RETRIAL TO BEGIN IN MAY
- 2017-05-17 STANISIC AND SIMATOVIC RETRIAL SCHEDULED FOR 13 JUNE