Karadzic asks ICTY to recall French judge

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic asked The Hague war crimes tribunal (ICTY) on Friday (May 1st) to recall French Judge Michele Picard in his case for war crimes and genocide.

In a written motion, Karadzic argued Picard’s is biased and impartial due to her past presidency of the Human Rights Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Dayton Peace Accords established the Chamber to probe human rights violations committed during the 1992-95 conflict.

Also on Friday, media reported Karadzic has asked High Representative to BiH Valentin Inzko to restore his friends and supporters’ political and economic rights which were previously restricted for allegedly helping him hide prior to his arrest in July 2008. Dozens of officials in BiH were sacked and their passports confiscated over suspicions that they helped war crimes fugitives.