Hague Considers Merging Karadzic, Mladic Trials

Poster of Radovan Karadzic, Vojislav Seselj and Ratko Mladic, all facing trials at the Hague, reading "Serbian Heroes". Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Prosecutor's Office of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia is considering merging the trials against ex-president of Republika Srpska Radovan Karadzic and Gen Ratko Mladic.

"We are reviewing all options available to request merging the two cases so as to secure efficiency," stated an aide to chief Hague prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

Karadzic and Mladic are tried for overlapping cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as the Srebrenica massacre, but the nature of their involvement is different.

"What everyone wants is that the trials do not last to long, that they are well managed, and that all rights of the defendants are safeguarded," stated the Prosecutor's Office.

More developments along that line are to be expected following the eventual extradition of Gen Mladic from Serbia to the Hague.