Milosevic Aides' War Crime Trial Postponed for Health Reasons

The war crimes trial of two aides of he late Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic was postponed for a second time this week after one defendant was diagnosed with depression.



The trial of Jovica Stanisic and his former deputy, Franko Simatovic will now begin on April 1, providing Stanisic’s health improves in the meantime.



According to a report by the tribunal detention unit’s medical officer, Jovica Stanisic is suffering from pouchitis, osteoporosis and has kidney stones. He has also gone into a “deep depression” for which he is being seen by a psychiatrist.



The prosecution’s opening statement was originally scheduled to take place on March 10 but was postponed at that point at the prosecution’s request.



The two defendants were close aides of Milosevic and are accused of forcibly expelling non-Serbs from parts of Croatia and Bosnia in the early 1990s. They both deny charges of murder and deportation carried out during the Balkan wars as well as coordinating infamous military groups such as the Scorpions, Red Berets, and Arkan’s Tigers.



The medical report stated that it was not possible to predict when Stanisic would be fit to attend court. As the accused has not waived his right to be present at proceedings, the chamber was left with little option but to postpone until after the Easter break.



In the report, doctors at the tribunal’s detention unit said any further expert medical examinations could be detrimental to the patient’s health.



“They can further increase the anxiety of the patient and act as a catalyst to the depression,” said Judge Patrick Robinson, reading from the report.



The trial chamber proposed reconvening on April 1 by which time the accused will have been re-examined by an independent psychiatrist. The psychiatrist’s report will be accompanied by that of the gastroenterologist who examined Stanisic this week and Robinson said they would both be used to determine whether the trial could resume.



Stanisic’s defence team requested earlier this year that the trial of the 57-year-old be adjourned on health grounds. However, having heard arguments from medical experts presented by the defence and the prosecution, the chamber ruled the trial would go ahead.



Simon Jennings is an IWPR reporter in The Hague.