[L-I] Ramsey Clark: Tribunal destroys its last claim to legality

Ramsey Clark, former US Attorney General and Co-Chairman of the
International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic (ICDSM) has made thi=
s
afternoon the following statement:
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            Under International Law, every person accused of a crime has =
the
right to represent himself in person in the court adjudicating his case.
Slobodan Milosevic is no exception. The Trial Chamber of the Internationa=
l
Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia has destroyed its last claim to
legality by attempting to deprive the former President of Yugoslavia of t=
his
fundamental human right.

            The appearance of President Milosevic representing himself al=
one
during the prosecution case for over 2 years, nearly 300 trial days, cros=
s
examining nearly 300 prosecution witnesses, coping with 500,000 documents=
,
and 30,000 pages of trial transcript then at the very beginning of his
presentation of his own defense being silenced and lawyers he rejects pla=
ced
in charge of his destiny, speaks of injustice.

            President Milosevic vigorously presented his opening statemen=
t
of his own defense in person for two days on August 31 and September 1, 2=
004
immediately before the Trial Chamber decided he "is not fit enough to
represent himself". He was apparently "fit enough" to perform that task. =
If
the time comes when credible doctors, including his own, find that a slow=
er
pace is required to protect his health, or that further effort by him at
that time may impair his health, then the only permissible course is to
follow a schedule that honors his right to defend himself in person and
protects his ability to do so. Life, truth and justice are more important
than the schedules of courts, or railroads.

            The very lawyers appointed by the Trial Chamber have a direct
conflict of interest. They have served by appointment of the court as
"friends of the Court". You cannot serve two masters. Having served as
friend of the Court, that same counsel selected by the Court to represent
President Milosevic cannot ethically serve as his counsel.

            No lawyer who might be appointed to represent President
Milosevic has interviewed his witnesses, knows the testimony they can giv=
e,
what questions to ask them, or what their answers might be. Professional
preparation - and this is no ordinary case - would require months.

            The Trial Chamber must abandon this travesty and do its duty
consistent with the health of the accused to faithfully, competently,
independently and impartially hear the evidence, find the facts and apply
the law.


Ramsey Clark
                                                                        N=
ew
York

September 2, 2004
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************
www.icdsm.org
www.icdsm.org
www.icdsm.org
www.icdsm.org
www.icdsm.org

************

***********************************************************

THE LIFE OF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AND THE INTERNATIONAL LAW ARE IN PERIL.

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS' PETITION:
http://www.icdsm.org/Lawappeal.htm

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS' APPEAL FOR MILOSEVIC:
http://www.icdsm.org/more/artists.htm

SUPPORT THE ICDSM:
http://www.icdsm.org/

*********************************************************
You can find detailed instructions at:
http://www.icdsm.org/battle.htm
(please also follow the links therein) or
*************************************************************
You can make transfers to ICDSM accounts in Europe:

Peter Betscher
Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Darmstadt, Germany
IBAN: DE 21 5085 0150 0102 1441 63
SWIFT-BIC: HELADEF1DAS

or

Vereinigung f=FCr Internationale Solidarit=E4t (VIS)
4000 Basel, Switzerland
PC 40-493646-5
*************************************************************

*************************************************************
THE ILLEGAL HAGUE PROCESS MUST END.
Statement by the President of the World Peace Council Orlando Fundora (Cu=
ba)
http://www.icdsm.org/more/fundora.htm
*************************************************************
*************************************************************

VIDOVDAN PEOPLE'S RALLY IN BELGRADE ORGANIZED BY SLOBODA
to mark the third anniversary of kidnapping of President Milosevic
http://www.icdsm.org/more/galery2806.htm
**************************************************************

SLOBODA urgently needs your donation.
Please find the detailed instructions at:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/pomoc.htm

To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/ (Sloboda/Freedom association)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.free-slobo.de/ (German section of ICDSM)
http://www.icdsm-us.org/ (US section of ICDSM)
http://www.icdsmireland.org/ (ICDSM Ireland)
http://www.pasti.org/milodif.htm (ICDSM Italy)
http://www.wpc-in.org/ (world peace council)
http://www.geocities.com/b_antinato/ (Balkan antiNATO center)


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