Prosecutors say ex-Bosnian Serb leader Karadzic ‘drove war-crimes’September 29, 2014 - 17:22 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - War crimes prosecutors have called former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic the "driving force" behind the persecution of non-Serbs in the 1990s, BBC News reported. Closing arguments are being heard in The Hague, where Karadzic has been on trial for five years. Prosecutors want him to get life imprisonment. He is charged with 11 crimes committed during the Bosnia war, including the most serious, genocide. He listened intently in court. The verdict is expected in a year's time. "The policy of ethnic cleansing has been fully exposed as has Dr Karadzic as its driving force," said UN prosecutor Alan Tieger. Karadzic is accused of acting together with former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic to expel or slaughter Bosnian Croats and Muslims (Bosniaks) who were living in areas claimed by ethnic Serbs. Their campaign was designed to carve out an "ethnically pure" region. Karadzic, 69, portrays himself as a patriotic leader who was engaged in a heroic struggle to protect the Serb identity. He is expected to close his own defense on Wednesday, Oct 1, and Thursday. Karadzic is accused of genocide over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered. "Radovan Karadzic is waiting. On Wednesday it's his last chance to try to convince the judges that he is innocent," said his lawyer, Peter Robinson. Karadzic was arrested in 2008 in Belgrade, where he had spent years masquerading as a faith healer, heavily disguised. Some survivors of the Bosnia war attended the trial. Mothers of Srebrenica spokeswoman Munira Subasic said "we expect that [the] criminal Karadzic will get a life sentence, that he will be found guilty not only of the genocide of Srebrenica but also the genocide in other cities of Bosnia". More than 100,000 people died in the Bosnian war, in which atrocities were committed by all three warring sides. Mladic is also on trial at the special tribunal in The Hague, which is winding up the final war crimes cases relating to the wars in former Yugoslavia. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Power of One Dram sums up two-year program with Teach for Armenia Idram Junior also joined the companies during the visit, bringing with it a fascinating intellectual game for children Moscow slams EU mission in Armenia for “provocative activity” The EU mission is doing more and more against Armenia’s neighbors Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, Mikhail Galuzin said. Yerevan Mayor to travel to Paris on May 15-19 The official delegation headed by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan will travel to Paris from May 15 to 19. Armenia, India hold first defense consultations The meeting was attended by Indian Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha and Defense Attaché Brigadier General Naveen Nijhawan. |