Press conference concerning Pres. Milosevic
ICDSM - 08.02.2002 00:33
International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic (ICDSM)
PRESS RELEASE
Regarding the upcoming so-called trial of former Yugoslav PresidentSlobodan Milosevic, the ICDSM will hold a press conference Friday February 8th about the following matters:
1. President Slobodan Milosevic´s case against the Dutch State and the ICTY which is coming up before the District Court of The Hague. We are charging that the ICTY and the Dutch State have conspired to obstruct Slobodan Milosevic´s lawyers from preparing his case before the European Court of Human Rights. On this see Appendix I;
2. The Dutch government´s attempt to prevent the ICDSM from holding meetings to inform public opinion and the press; the refusal of the so-called Hague Tribunal to allow former President Slobodan Milosevic to meet with delegations from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the Yugoslav NGO, Freedom Association;
3. The ICDSM press conference Tuesday, February 12th in The Hague;
4. A letter from the ICDSM which has been sent to all Heads of State in the world;
5. Open Letter to the people of The Netherlands;
6. A public meeting of the ICDSM Monday, February 11 in Amsterdam, Krasnapolski, St Johnsrooml II, Dam 9, Amsterdam
The February 8th press conference will be held at:
LINX International
Sloterkade 20 Amsterdam.
Time: 14.00 hour
Present at the press conference will be:
· Mr. Christopher Black, head of the team of legal advisers of President Milosevic
· Mr. Nico Steijnen, lawyer of President Milosevic in his cases against the Dutch state and the European Court
· Nico Varkevisser, spokesperson of the ICDSM
APPENDIX I - MR. MILOSEVIC UNDERTAKES LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ICTY AND THE NETHERLANDS
By order of President Slobodan Milosevic, on December 20, 2001, a 140-page provisional application was filed at the European Court of Human Rights by a team of lawyers: Mr. N.M.P. Steijnen, the Netherlands, Mr. Chr. Black, Canada, Prof. Mr. A. Bernardini, Italy, Mr. Z. Tomanovic, Yugoslavia, Prof. Mr. M.N. Kouzenetzov, Russia, Mr. Jaq. Verges, France, Mr. D.M. Ognjanovic,Yugoslavia.
This provisional application, which we have had to formulate under conditions that violated all human rights guarantees with respect to normal communication between lawyers and client, must be further implemented.
In this delicate phase of the European Court procedure the puppet-tribunal has further intensified its interference. It has banned Mr. Christopher Black from any communication with President Slobodan Milosevic and has, without explanation, refused Mr. N. Steijnen further access to President Milosevic. Other members of President Milosevic´s team of legal advisers are limited to very rare contacts, depending on the humour of the ´tribunal,´ which never permits free and unmonitored communication and free exchange of documents with President Milosevic. Mail between members of the legal team and President Milosevic is intercepted and opened, whether it is confidential not, and often simply vanishes.
Under these conditions how can attorneys conduct legal work?
President Milosevic´s team of lawyers has officially informed the European Court that since our work has been blocked by the puppet tribunal´s interference, therefore we are forced to suspend work until the puppet tribunal ends its violations of our client´s human right to an unfettered defence.
The puppet tribunal´s human rights abuses, in defiance of the European Court of Human Rights, has caused this deadlock. To break this deadlock, President Milosevic has ordered legal action. To that end, a summary injunction procedure has already been filed at the District Court of The Hague against the relevant parties: the ICTY itself and the State of the
Netherlands.
The demand to all parties is: uphold your responsibility to safeguard human rights. Present a solution that will end these severe human rights violations in the field of defence rights. The State of the Netherlands is specifically summoned to take the initiative.
Place: District Court of The Hague
Date: 12 February 2002
Time: 13.30 h.
Amsterdam, February 7th 2002
International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic
www.icdsm.org
Contact in The Netherlands:  office@globalreflexion.org
Sloterkade 20 - 1058 HE Amsterdam - The Netherlands
Ph. ++ 31 20 615 1122 - Fax: ++ 31 20 615 1120
THE ICDSM RELIES ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SUPPORTERS TO PAY EXPENSES
You may support the work of the ICDSM with a contribution by credit card by calling in Amsterdam 31 20 6151122 or in the U.S. 1 617 916-1705
Or mail a check to:
ICDSM
831 Beacon St., #295
Newton Centre, MA 02459 (USA)
 Website: http://www.icdsm.org
|
