PRESS RELEASE OCTOBER 30, 2001

Last Thursday, October 25, I have visited Mr. Milosevic in the Detention Unit in Scheveningen.
 

He was feeling fine and very relaxed. In fact I can say, as a lawyer I have met many, many detainees an they are always more or less tense, strained. But Mr. Milosevic shows no sings of such a tension, which is amazing under his conditions. I never saw a detainee so relaxed as he is.
 

So his mental health is great.

I was there, in Scheveningen, in order to talk with him about the implementation of the appeal that is instituted against the judgement of the President of the District Court in the Hague about the Dutch responsibility for his illegal kidnapping and his illegal detention.

But he has also extended his orders.
 

He has ordered me to undertake all necessary steps, toghether with the other lawyers of the International Committe for the Defense of Slobodan Milosevic, on the European level.
 

That means: to the European Court on Human Rihgts in Strasbourg and to the Human Rights Commitee in Geneva.
 

This in order to seek protection of his human rights against the consistent violation by the puppet-tribunal also on this - European - level.
 

At the same time he also authorized me to address again to the Dutch domestic court. In a new interim injunction procedure, a new summary proceedings.
 

Because the situation created by the fact that the Dutch court has declared itself incompetent to deal with the human rights violations by the puppet-tribunal, means that there is now a stalemate.

 

Specifically with regard to his basic right to obtain a speedily court decision on the lawfullness of his detention, as stipulated in Article 5, par. 4 of the European Convention.
 

Bcause the Dutch court refuses to give such a speedily decision, declaring itself incompetent to deal with the matter. And the puppet-tribunal even don't provide in a procedure to meet this basic right.
 

So now te claim will be, to the State of the Netherlands and to the relevant judge together: stick together, consult among each other and present a solution for this deadlock. A solution that meets the requirements of the European Convention.
 

Because you both have specific treaty responsibilies in the light of the European Convention on human rights on its territory: the judge, who has to offer 'an effective remedy' against every violation of human rights on domestic territory, according to Article 13 of the European Convention. And the Dutch State authorities, who have to safeguard the integrity of this Convention, according to Article 2 of the Convention.
 

The outcome of this mutual consultation has to be: the presentation of a workable solution by the Dutch State authorities and the Dutch judge, in order to safeguard Mr. Milosevic' fundamental right to still get a legal decision about the legality of his detention as soon as possible.

He also ordered me to launch legal action against the amici curiae farce.

 

The lawyers, who have hired themselves out the the puppet-tribunal, are in fact acting against the standards which have to be regarded by every lawyer. Namely to act independently and not to usurp the defence rights of any acused.

 

So I will sue Mr. Wladimiroff, the Duch mercenary of this puppet-court, as soon as possible in Dutch court in an interim injunction procedure, a summary proceeding.

 

The demand will be that he should finish his usurpation of Mr. Milosevic' sovereign defence rights immediately.

Then I have writed also a letter to the big shots of this tribunal-farce. In order to raise a strong protest against the deliberate frustration of the basic right of Mr. Milosevic to organise his own defence.

In the same time that this tribunal skunks put forward the amici curiae-farce in order to show a face that they would be worried about the protection of human rights of Mr. Milosevic, they undertake every action thinkable to frustrate the contact with every person which is wanted by Mr. Milosevic to assist him in the way he intend to draw up his defence.

None of the lawyers, who give him legal advise, is granted a regular access to Mr. Milosevic. They get only access to him as a favor, not as a right. Some persons who Mr. Milosevic want to consult, get no access at all. Time for visits are strictly limited. The conversations are monitored. Mr. Christian Black, one of his prominent adviserd, is now blacklisted because he has talked 'politics' with Mr. Milosevic. To hand over documents to Mr. Milosevic is forbidden.

 

Also to me with regard to the preparation of his pending appeal in the Dutch court case. Can anybody explain how it would be possible to set up a defence in a situation that is forbidden that counsel and his client exchange any paper or document ?
 

Letters written by me to Mr. Milosevic never arrive at him. They got simply kept back by this bunch of tribunal-skunks.
 

So I raised a protest letter against them all, you can find a copy on this table.

And finally you can find on this table a copy of an article of the Brazil newspaper O Globo, in which Judge Francisco Rezek, a judge at the tribunal itself, states that his own tribunal is 'partial', that means highly a political and anti-Serbian instrument.