STL clears Lebanese journalist and company of interfering with justice charges: On Friday, 18 September 2015, Lebanese TV journalist Karma Khayat, and her TV station Al Jadeed were cleared of the charge of obstructing justice by the STL. Ms. Khayat and Al Jadeed were accused of revealing witnesses to the former Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri’s 2005 death. In the second charge, Al Jadeed was also cleared, however, Ms. Khayat was convicted of contempt of court for failing to remove broadcasts about the case online. Ms. Khayat was the first defendant to take the stand at the STL. For more information on this issue, please click here and please click here. (The Hague Justice Portal, BBC News, Israel National News)
Mladic defence witness testifies before ICTY: On Wednesday, 16 September 2015, defence witness, Radovan Popovic told the ICTY that Ratko Mladic attended a wedding in Belgrade on 16 July 1995. Popivic testified that he made a video of the wedding at the request of the bride, and recorded Mladic, who was the best man, and his wife along with the married couple although he missed the departure of the couples around 6 P.M. During cross examination prosecutor Peter McCloskey presented the witness with a transcript of an intercepted conversation between Mladic and the Bosnian Serb Army’s Main Headquarters, around 4:00 the same day. Popovic responded he “did not see something like that.” (Balkan Insight)
On Thursday, 17 September 2015 another defence witness, a Canadian intelligence officer testified before the court that “[t]here was a widespread belief that Muslim forces were shelling their own people so they could blame the Serbs and cause and international intervention to their benefit.” He said he was shown a photo by an American intelligence officer of a person throwing a mortar bomb into Markale market from the window of a nearby building. When the judge presented him with photographs of the Markale market the witness was unable to locate the building he testified about. He also testified that he wasn’t familiar with the details and conclusions of the official investigation into the Markale attack, nor participated in the analysis of grenade craters. For more information on this testimony, please click here. (Balkan Insight)
ICC indictee Barasa indicates possible surrender: Kenyan journalist, Walter Osapiri Barasa, wanted by the ICC for witness tampering has signaled for the first time that he may surrender to the court. Barasa indicated in his last application to The Hague judges that he wants Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to disclose information he says is critical to his defence. The new application came days after the ICC judges declined to revoke his arrest warrant, saying he should voluntarily surrender and then apply for an interim release once in detention. (The Star)
French court says genocide suspect Habyarimana will not be extradited to Rwanda: On Tuesday, 15 September 2015 a French court ruled that Joseph Habyarimana, who is wanted in Rwanda, would not be extradited on the grounds that “the crimes were not offences at the time and laws cannot be applied retroactively.” Habyarimana is charged with inciting the murder of monks in the monastery where he worked during the genocide. Dr. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, president of IBUKA, an organization representing the genocide survivors, told reporters, said the court decision was a “mockery” to survivors and victims. (Coastweek.com)
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