Minister of the interior in the first Bosnian Serb war-time cabinet appeared for the first time before an ICTY judge, unrepresented by defense counsel. He pleaded not guilty on all 10 counts of the indictment charging him with crimes committed in 1992 by police forces under his command and control


Mico Stanisic, minister of the interior in the first Bosnian Serb war-time cabinet, pleaded not guilty today on all 10 counts of the indictment charging him with crimes against humanity and violations of laws and customs of war. At his initial appearance he was not represented by defense counsel, expressing his desire to represent himself. He did not specify whether that applied only to the initial appearance today or whether he would continue to represent himself as the proceedings continue.

Stanisic is charged with participation in a joint criminal enterprise. As alleged in the indictment, the objective of the enterprise was to permanently remove and ethnically cleanse, by force or other means, Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats and other non-Serbs from the territory of the planned Serbian state. According to the indictment, the police forces under Stanisic’s command tried to carry out that objective by murders, persecutions, deportations, extermination, torture, inhumane and cruel treatment.

After he pleaded not guilty on all counts of the indictment, Mico Stanisic added that he had come to The Hague voluntarily «in order to have the truth determined before this chamber.»

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