The Hague Prosecutor’s Office yesterday opposed Ratko Mladic’s defense request to grant him a temporary release due to medical treatment in Serbia, as it believes that the risk of his escape increased after the first-instance verdict has sentenced him to life imprisonment in November.
In a report to Mechanism (succeeded by the Hague Tribunal), the Prosecution asked the Appeals Chamber to reject Mladic’s defense request, as it is not grounded or argumented.
According to the opinion of Prosecutor’s office, Mladic did not argument that he would return to Hague custody upon termination of the temporary release. Also, he did not prove, as the Prosecution thinks, that there are “special circumstances” related to his health condition that would justify the release to a temporary freedom after the announcement of the verdict.
Mladic did not specifically mention which therapy is required, nor why an adequate medical care is not available in Netherlands, as the prosecution said, according to Tanjug.
The Prosecution recalled that earlier and deliberative, the Appeals Chamber of the Hague Tribunal did not approve Mladic Defense’s request for releasing him due to treatment in the Russian Federation, nor in Serbia.
At the beginning of October, the Government of Serbia provided guarantees for Mladic’s release to a temporary freedom due his treatment, at the request of Mladic’s family and defense counsel. However, the Tribunal did not comply with this request.
(Source: faktor.ba)
