Hague president opposes Del Ponte idea

The Hague, Belgrade, July 06 (Source: B92) - Persons convicted by the Hague cannot serve their sentences in the home countries, Court President Fausto Pocar said.

Pocar’s position, shared by the Court Secretariat, was relayed Thursday by the Tribunal’s spokesman Refik Hodžić. Hodžić also said that the convicted war criminals were exclusively sent to prisons in the European countries that the Hague Tribunal made special contracts with. Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said earlier she will suggest that those found guilty by the court should be sent to jails in the former Yugoslavia.

Hodžić, however, said this was only “Carla Del Ponte’s idea” to which she was “entitled”. He added that any initiative to change the court’s policy had to be submitted by Pocar to the UN secretary-general, “based on factors that justified such a proposal.” Hodžić indicated that Pocar does not intend to do anything of the kind.

However, the idea received favorable reaction in Belgrade. Beta reported Wednesday that the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Rasim Ljajić sent letters in support of the initiative. Ljajić told Beta that he sent the letters to Pocar and the registrar, Hans Holthuis.

Ljajić conveyed the readiness of Serbian institutions to accept the convicted persons, who would serve their sentences in accordance with the highest legal standards. He assessed that, after handing the tribunal cases over to the national justice systems, to enable the convicts to serve their sentences in their homelands would represent a step forward in achieving mutual trust and successfully completing cooperation with the Hague.

The National Council will call on the representatives of the region's countries to support the initiative, Ljajić said.

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