The Times (London) - October 5, 2004, Tuesday


Sir, I was disappointed in your interview with Stephen Kay (Law, September 21), that you seemed to approve, at least nem con, the decision of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to impose counsel on Slobodan Milosevic. The judges of the trial chamber have ruled repeatedly against the prosecution's request for counsel to be imposed, and their ruling of April 4 last year gives 20 pages of legal reasoning and precedent to justify their decision.

When on September 2 the ICTY went against all its earlier rulings and decided to impose counsel on Mr Milosevic, it did not quote one single legal convention or precedent in support of its new position. The decision, justified only in the name of expediency, is therefore as pure an example of a lawless and arbitrary decision as one can imagine. The decision confirms that the judges are actively colluding in achieving the outcome for which this political tribunal was set up in the first place -a conviction of Slobodan Milosevic at all costs.

Yours faithfully, JOHN LAUGHLAND, 

British Helsinki Human Rights Group, 81 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 0NE.

Copyright 2004 Times Newspapers Limited
Posted for Fair Use only.