The accused urges the Chamber "not to ignore" the recommendation by the Russian, French and Serbian doctors who recommended "cessation of all physical and mental activities in the period of six weeks"


The report submitted to the Trial Chamber by Dr. Falke, physician in the UN Detention Unit (UNDU), states that the accused failed to appear in courtroom "because of exhaustion". Milosevic countered that report with the findings of, as he described them, "three eminent scientific and medical experts" from Russia, France and Serbia who examined him at his behest on 4 November 2005.

According to the Russian, French and Serbian doctors, whose report was read out in court by Milosevic, "the patient's health has not been stabilized and serious complications are possible" necessitating "the cessation of all physical and mental activities in the period of six weeks".

When Judge Robinson noted that the Chamber did not receive this report, Milosevic's legal advisors had it copied and submitted to the judges through Steven Kay, assigned counsel. The presiding judge said the Chamber would consider it and asked the accused to "state clearly" what he wanted. Milosevic replied he was "not asking for anything but for the Chamber not to ignore the doctors' recommendation about the six-week cessation of all physical and mental activities". Judge Bonomy then noted that if the accused wanted the trial to be adjourned, he would have to file a motion to that effect in writing.

After ten minutes, the discussion about the health of the accused ended with Judge Robinson and Milosevic bickering. The former thought any further discussion about the issue "pointless" before the judges have had time to read the report of Milosevic's doctors, while the latter did not agree with it. After the accused persistently failed to comply with his order to call his next witness, the judge asked him, "Are you deaf?" at one point. Milosevic replied that he probably was deaf, and Robinson then said the "Chamber will take care of that". Milosevic then called the first of the two witnesses he intended to call today.

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