Final verdict for Radovan Karadzic: Final decision will be made today in the Hague tribunal against the first president of Republika Srpska

The International Court in the Hague will announce the verdict for the former president of Republika Srpska (RS) Radovan Karadzic, who was improperly sentenced by the Hague tribunal in 2016 to 40 years in prison for genocide and crimes against humanity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Karadzic and the Hague prosecution filed complains. There will be a broadcast of the trial today at 14:00 and it will be aired with 30 minutes of delay.

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Karadzic asked to be acquitted or to be tried again. The Prosecution asked for prison for life. 

Foto: Tanjug/AP

On March 24, 2016, the tribunal found Karadzic guilty of genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of Muslims and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorizing the population of Sarajevo with prolonged bombing and sniping, and taking members of the UNPROFOR for hostages, 1992-95.

According to the first-instance verdict, the Serbian armed forces, whose Karadzic was the supreme commander, systematically and planned, in July 1995, shot "at least 5,115 Muslim men" from Srebrenica with genocidal intent to destroy them as an ethnic group.

In addition to the genocide, Karadzic (73) was convicted of persecution, extermination, murders, deportations, inhumane acts, the terrorizing of the civilian population, unlawful attacks on civilians and the taking of international hostages.

These crimes are qualified as crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war.

The Trial Chamber acquitted Karadzic of the counts of the indictment for genocide against Muslims and Croats in another seven Bosnian municipalities, judging that the prosecution failed to prove that.

Karadzic is in custody at Scheveningen since July 30, 2008.

Serbian authorities arrested Karadzic, as they announced on July 21st that year in Belgrade. Karadzic's lawyers claimed, however, that he was arrested on July 18 and that he was kept in an unknown place for three days.

Judge Van Jonsen of Denmark will be in charge of the trial which will reach the decision. The judges that will still be in the trial are Ivo Rossa from Portugal, Graciela Santana from Uruguay, Hose Solasa from Spain and William Sekule from Tanzania.

The American judge Teodor Meron was in charge of the first trial but he stepped down since Karadzic's defense requested his exemption for alleged bias.

The first indictment against Karadzic was raised by the Hague Tribunal in July 1995.

(Telegraf.co.uk)