27 October 2014
News
Trial of Saric Postponed
Selma Ucanbarlic BIRN BiH SarajevoThe trial of Goran Saric, who is charged with genocide in Srebrenica, has been postponed, because a State Prosecution witness fails to appear before the State Court.
The Trial Chamber announced that it found out, right before the beginning of this hearing, that the witness would not appear.
“This is the second time we have invited this witness and he failed to appear. In the first case, his address has changed. This time he informed us that he had to attend a funeral. We shall check that,” said Trial Chamber Chairman Stanisa Gluhajic.
The Prosecution said that it planned to examine this witness at the next hearing.
Saric is charged with having participated in a joint criminal enterprise, which resulted in the forced resettlement of 40,000 Bosniak residents and the murder of more than 7,000 people from the Srebrenica area in July 1995.
According to the charges, Saric commanded police forces, which participated in the search, arming and occupation of positions held by UN troops, as well as the forced resettlement of women, children and the elderly and separation of men and boys, who were killed later on.
Although the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, proposed that a statement given by a late witness be read at this hearing, the Chamber rejected the proposal, saying that the Defence had not prepared itself for presentation of that piece of evidence.
The trial is due to continue on November 3.
“This is the second time we have invited this witness and he failed to appear. In the first case, his address has changed. This time he informed us that he had to attend a funeral. We shall check that,” said Trial Chamber Chairman Stanisa Gluhajic.
The Prosecution said that it planned to examine this witness at the next hearing.
Saric is charged with having participated in a joint criminal enterprise, which resulted in the forced resettlement of 40,000 Bosniak residents and the murder of more than 7,000 people from the Srebrenica area in July 1995.
According to the charges, Saric commanded police forces, which participated in the search, arming and occupation of positions held by UN troops, as well as the forced resettlement of women, children and the elderly and separation of men and boys, who were killed later on.
Although the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, proposed that a statement given by a late witness be read at this hearing, the Chamber rejected the proposal, saying that the Defence had not prepared itself for presentation of that piece of evidence.
The trial is due to continue on November 3.
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