Karadzic Conflict of Interest Concerns

In August, the tribunal project highlighted the growing concerns of some tribunal observers that the judge likely to be appointed to preside over the Karadzic trial could face possible conflicts of interest.

In Conflict of Interest Concerns Hit Karadzic Trial, published on August 18, IWPR contributor Edina Becirevic looked at claims that Judge Alphons Orie – who as presiding pre-trial judge in the case was highly likely to become presiding trial judge – could face problems because of his involvement in past cases at the tribunal.

Becirevic, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Sarajevo’s Faculty of Criminal Justice Sciences, noted that Judge Orie had previously acted as co-counsel in the defence team of Bosnian Serb war criminal Dusko Tadic, and presiding judge in the case of former Bosnian Serb parliamentary speaker and close ally of Karadzic Momcilo Krajisnik.

She interviewed several regional and international observers for the piece, considering particular problems that Judge Orie might encounter as presiding judge in the Karadzic case.

Three days after the report was published, on August 21, Tribunal president Fausto Pocar moved the Karadzic case from pre-trial chamber one, presided by Judge Alphonse Orie, to that of pre-trial chamber three, which is led by Judge Patrick Robinson.

While Pocar indicated that the decision to move the case to trial chamber three was not motivated by Karadzic’s request or a potential conflict of interest, IWPR’s coverage of the latter was timely nonetheless.