Global Policy Forum

The war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic was put on hold today as the former Yugoslav president is unwell, delaying the conclusion of the prosecution's case against him until at least next week. The proceedings before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) were cancelled for the rest of this week because Milosevic was "indisposed and not in a state to sit", according to judges. The new delay is the fourteenth time the trial has been interrupted because of the ill health of Milosevic. The court would not give details about Milosevic's condition, but he was last year diagnosed with high blood pressure and at risk for a heart attack. It is not yet known when the prosecution will be given the remaining two days it needs to finish the presentation of its case. The prosecution had been due to end its case against the former Yugoslav president tomorrow, slightly more than two years after the trial started. Milosevic has been on trial since February 2002 on over 60 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo that led to the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. For the war in Bosnia that left more than 200,000 people dead, he has also been charged with genocide. If convicted he faces life in prison. So far the prosecution's case has taken 293 days, with almost 300 witnesses, victims, politicians, diplomats and former members of Milosevic's inner circle testifying. In this time the prosecution has been able to show that "Milosevic controlled Serbian and federal Yugoslav institutions and that he played a crucial role in the conflicts", Heikelina Verrijn Stuart, a Dutch lawyer and tibunal watcher, said. Numerous witnesses testified that Milosevic controlled Croatian Serb leaders as well as Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, at least up until 1993. The war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic was put on hold today as the former Yugoslav president is unwell, delaying the conclusion of the prosecution's case against him until at least next week. The proceedings before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) were cancelled for the rest of this week because Milosevic was "indisposed and not in a state to sit", according to judges.

The new delay is the fourteenth time the trial has been interrupted because of the ill health of Milosevic. The court would not give details about Milosevic's condition, but he was last year diagnosed with high blood pressure and at risk for a heart attack. It is not yet known when the prosecution will be given the remaining two days it needs to finish the presentation of its case. The prosecution had been due to end its case against the former Yugoslav president tomorrow, slightly more than two years after the trial started. Milosevic has been on trial since February 2002 on over 60 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo that led to the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. For the war in Bosnia that left more than 200,000 people dead, he has also been charged with genocide. If convicted he faces life in prison. So far the prosecution's case has taken 293 days, with almost 300 witnesses, victims, politicians, diplomats and former members of Milosevic's inner circle testifying. In this time the prosecution has been able to show that "Milosevic controlled Serbian and federal Yugoslav institutions and that he played a crucial role in the conflicts", Heikelina Verrijn Stuart, a Dutch lawyer and tibunal watcher, said. Numerous witnesses testified that Milosevic controlled Croatian Serb leaders as well as Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, at least up until 1993. Milosevic, who is defending himself in court, is said to spend his nights going over thousands of pages of prosecution documents to prepare for court. In court he cross-examines all the prosecution witnesses with vigour, often arguing with the witnesses and peppering his lengthy questions with political and historical references. Due to his health problems the court sits only three days a week to minimise the strain on Milosevic. The International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic (ICDSM) has accused the tribunal of ignoring signs that he is "extremely weak". "One can ask whether Mr Milosevic will survive the trial," Velko Valkanov, the Bulgarian founder of the ICDSM, told a press conference yesterday. He also denounced the tribunal as "an instrument of political revenge" and suggested that its aim might be to kill the former Yugoslav president. After the prosecution finishes its case there is a three-month break planned for Milosevic to prepare his defence. The trial is expected to last until at least 2005.

Milosevic, who is defending himself in court, is said to spend his nights going over thousands of pages of prosecution documents to prepare for court. In court he cross-examines all the prosecution witnesses with vigour, often arguing with the witnesses and peppering his lengthy questions with political and historical references. Due to his health problems the court sits only three days a week to minimise the strain on Milosevic. The International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic (ICDSM) has accused the tribunal of ignoring signs that he is "extremely weak". "One can ask whether Mr Milosevic will survive the trial," Velko Valkanov, the Bulgarian founder of the ICDSM, told a press conference yesterday. He also denounced the tribunal as "an instrument of political revenge" and suggested that its aim might be to kill the former Yugoslav president. After the prosecution finishes its case there is a three-month break planned for Milosevic to prepare his defence. The trial is expected to last until at least 2005.