The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has scheduled the commencement of the trial of Radovan Karadžić for 9 a.m. on Monday 26 October 2009, in Courtroom I. The announcement follows the rejection by the Appeals Chamber earlier this week of Karadžić’s claims of immunity, as well as his appeal against the Decision on the commencement of the trial.

In preparation for the beginning of the trial, on 15 October 2009 Trial Chamber III at the ICTY issued an Order severing Ratko Mladić from the case. Mladić remains a fugitive from the Tribunal, despite recent announcements by Serb authorities that the Accused could be caught by the end of the year. Mladić had originally been indicted alongside Karadžić, having served as his most senior General in the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS).

Karadžić, former President of Republika Srpska, head of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and Supreme Commander of the VRS, is one of the highest ranking officials to be indicted by the Tribunal. His “mega-trial” will be the most complex that the ICTY has held since the trial of Slobodan Milošević before his death.

Karadžić is charged with two counts of genocide, as well as various counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes.  The Indictment of February 2009 alleges that Karadžić bears responsibility for the deaths of more than 7,000 Bosnian Muslims in the enclave of Srebrenica in 1995, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determined was genocide in its February 2007 Judgment.

Radovan Karadžić

Ratko Mladić