The detention unit physician tells the Trial Chamber that the accused Stanisic isn’t feeling well. The doctor doesn’t advise Stanisic’s attendance in court or his monitoring of the trial in the Detention Unit. The judges decide to adjourn the trial until tomorrow


When the accused Jovica Stanisic failed to appear before the court today and was not there in the room in the Detention Unit from which he can follow the trial via video link, presiding judge Robinson read the report of the Detention unit physician, where it is noted that the accused is weak and is sweating profusely due to blood loss caused by colitis. The doctor ‘does not advise’ that Stanisic leave the Detention Unit to go to the courtroom or to follow the trial from the Unit. The Trial Chamber decided to postpone the hearing until tomorrow hoping that Stanisic would ’be well enough’, as the presiding judge put it, to follow the trial.

This decision is in line with the order issued by the Trial Chamber today about the monitoring of Stanisic’s health and his ability to stand trial. Before every hearing, Stanisic will be offered a choice: either to come to the courtroom or to follow the trial from the Detention Unit. If the accused continues to say that he can’t do it because of his health problems, the Trial Chamber will get a detailed report from the Detention Unit physicians. Apart from the subjective view of the accused, the report will contain a description of clearly visible symptoms of his medical problems.

If the Trial Chamber finds that the accused is fit to stand trial but refuses to waive his right to be present in the courtroom to make it possible for the trial to go on, the judges will continue the trial without him. If the physicians judge that the accused was not able to follow the trial either from the courtroom or from the detention unit, the trial will be adjourned until his health has improved.

Stanisic is charged with crimes committed in Croatia and BH from 1991 to 1995 by units set up, funded and run by the Serbian state security service. Stanisic was the chief of this service at the time. Franko Simatovic, former commander of the Special Operations Unit, of the State Security is charged with same crimes. Simatovic has attended every session since the beginning of the trial.

Sharing