At the request of Vidoje Blagojevic's defense, the Tribunal calls Ton Karremans, the former commander of the UNPROFOR Dutch Battalion, to testify at the Srebrenica trial. The Netherlands is requested to provide "cooperation and assistance" to establish contact with the retired colonel.


At the request of Vidoje Blagojevic's defense, the Tribunal has called the former commander of the UNPROFOR Dutch Battalion, Ton Karremans, to testify at the trial for crimes in Srebrenica. Blagojevic, former commander of the VRS Bratunac Brigade, is charged with the murders and deportation of Bosniaks after the fall of the Srebrenica enclave in July 1995.

Since Blagojevic's defense should rest its case by 25 June, the Trial Chamber ruled that Karremans should appear on the witness stand between 16 and 22 June.

The defense requested on 11 May that the Trial Chamber issue a subpoena to Karremans to testify. The Trial Chamber decided that "Karremans' testimony would be of direct importance for the case" and requested the "cooperation and assistance" of the Netherlands to establish contact with the retired colonel to see whether he would be willing to testify.

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported to the Chamber that the "relevant ministries are coordinating matters" and that it would give its answer to the Tribunal by 9 June.

Karremans was in command of the UNPROFOR battalion that was responsible for the "safe haven" at the time the Srebrenica enclave fell. The Dutch officer was, among other things, present at the meeting in Bratunac with the former VRS commander, Ratko Mladic, a day after the fall of the enclave. He did not testify at the first Srebrenica trial, that of Radislav Krstic, the former Drina Corps commander. The prosecution did, though, tender into evidence Karremans' 1994 statement from the Rule 61 hearing conducted to hear charges against Karadzic and Mladic.

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