The Hague Tribunal to pay Karadžić an additional 430,000 KM

The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals has decided that Radovan Karadžić's appeal proceedings are exceptionally complex, which is why, according to the rules of the Hague Tribunal, he should be paid an additional approximately 430,000 convertible marks (KM).

These funds relate only to the second phase of the proceedings, i.e., the filing of the appeal. According to the rules, 80 percent of the total amount will be paid in monthly installments, while the remaining 20 percent will be paid after the completion of the second phase, BIRN reports.

Appeal proceedings before the Hague Tribunal consist of three phases – notice, filing, and hearing of the appeal – for which compensation amounts for the Defence are determined, among other things, depending on the complexity of the case. For the first phase, i.e., the notice of appeal, the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals has already approved 230,000 KM for the Defence. For the hearing of the appeal, which is the third phase, the foreseen compensation amounts to over 55,000 KM, which means that Karadžić's Defence should cost a total of at least around 700,000 KM.

Karadžić was found guilty in the first-instance verdict this year of genocide in Srebrenica, terrorizing the citizens of Sarajevo, persecution of Bosniaks and Croats, and taking UNPROFOR members hostage, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. By the same verdict, he was acquitted of genocide in 1992.

The Mechanism, in its decision on compensation, emphasized that the complexity and unprecedented nature of this case imply that Karadžić's Defence should consist of more legal staff than those assigned to the Defences in previous cases.

The compensation relates to, but is not limited to, the costs of legal and additional counsel, assistants, consultants, investigators, clerks, as well as interpretation, translation, and administrative and office costs.

Karadžić's legal counsel Peter Robinson told the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIRN BiH) that he is satisfied with the decision to classify the case as the most complex.

"We are satisfied with the decision that determined Karadžić's appeal to be among the most complex before the Tribunal. However, our request for additional funds is pending before the Office of the Registrar of the Mechanism, and we are awaiting their decision. Only then will we know if we have adequate funds for the appeal," Robinson said.