Prosecutors want Karadzic charges reduced

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands

Judges at the UN war crimes tribunal asked prosecutors handling the case against former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to reduce the number of charges against him, in order to accelerate proceedings, Dutch media reported on Thursday (July 23rd). Currently, there are 11 charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Karadzic, along with about 500 proposed witnesses.

In other news Thursday, the appeals chamber at The Hague war crimes tribunal acquitted former Kosovo Culture Minister Astrit Haraqija of contempt of court. The ruling overturns a verdict handed down in December 2008, when Haraqija was found guilty of witness intimidation in the case against former Kosovo Liberation Army leader Ramush Haradinaj. Back then, Haraqija was sentenced to five months behind bars. His aide, Bajrush Morina, was sentenced to three months. The appeals chamber said on Thursday that the December verdict had been wrongfully based on second and even third-hand testimony.