Karadzic to boycott war crimes trial claiming he needs time to prepare
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic says he cannot attend the beginning of his trial because he needs more time to prepare his defence - this for a case that dates back years. He faces charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Bosnia’s 1992-95 war. This is just the latest in a drawn-out contest of wills between Karadzic and the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. He has filed numerous motions and appeals and even tried to get a judge replaced. He also claims he needs more time to examine about a million pages of evidence. Does this sound familiar? Where do they get this training? The judges, however, maintain he has had ample time to get his ducks in a row since his arrest more than a year ago. Although he gets some funds for legal assistants and researchers, he is not entitled to lawyers’ fees because he elected to conduct his own defence. A large team of unpaid volunteers is assisting him. It’s unclear what will happen next. Read more: The New York Times
Become an Insider