Dear Friends,
The illegal removal of President Milosevic's right to represent himself has been--at least partially--withdrawn by the "Tribunal". But not only has the two-month long violation of his fundamental rights wasted precious time urgently needed for witness preparation, the new right to self-representation is far from clear, and the President may be again stripped of his right to call his own witnesses if ill. Indeed, the Appeals Chamber has decided that a "substantial disruption" of the proceedings, including illness, can justify imposition of counsel, and even justify that the proceedings be held in his absence! There is still much to do in the struggle for the truth and the battle against injustice, and it needs to be done urgently. We need to ensure that the work of the defence team is free from friction in future. Therefore we have the following urgent request, if is it possible for you to support the fundraising campaign for the defence of Slobodan Milosevic. What can be done?
Please donate to the following account:
Peter Betscher;
Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Darmstadt;
IBAN: DE 21 5085 0150 0102 1441 63;
SWIFT-BIC: HELADEF1DAS
For people living in European Union member countries, a transfer to this account is no more expensive than a money transfer at home, if you use the IBAN and SWIFT-BIC-codes!
Mobilize many "small" regular donations, even if the amount is for example 20 Euro or 10 Euro or only 5 Euro; with the regularity, we increase our ability to reliably cover much needed running expenses.
It is also possible to make a monthly collection by comrades and supporters and to transfer the amount or to make collections at meetings or political events.
We also looking for potential donors. If you know persons sharing the struggle of Slobodan Milosevic who are able to donate a larger amount, please contact them and ask for support.
Finally, please distribute this fundraising appeal (see attachement) widely.. We have to spread the financial burden to as many shoulders as possible.
Every donation is urgently needed! Don't allow the aggressors to write history! Every donation is a contribution to the defence of international law!
For recent information see ICDSM statement from October 31 2004 (attachment) Thank you in advance very much for your support!
In solidarity,
Peter Betscher
ICDSM-German Section
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International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic (ICDSM) – German Section Internationales Komitee für die Verteidigung von Slobodan Milosevic - Deutsche Sektion
The Hague "Tribunal" finally tried to reduce Slobodan Milosevic to silence.
Originally, Slobodan Milosevic’s defence case was scheduled to start in July 2004. The "Tribunal“ granted him three months for preparation, while the "prosecution“ had carried out its investigations against him since 1994, amply equipped with staff and money. The duration of his defence case was limited to 150 days – half of the time spent by the "prosecution“. The age-old legal princple of equality of arms was trampled upon. But that is not all:
At the end of August 2004, Slobodan Milosevic started his defence with an impressive opening statement. But immediately afterwards the "Tribunal“ deprived him of his right to self-defence, even disregarding its own statute (Art. 21, §4d). They defended their decision with references to Slobodan Milosevic’s bad health condition, for which they themselves bear responsibility.
By acting in this manner they finally fulfilled the "prosecution’s" persistent desire to silence Slobodan Milosevic, because the "accused“ has not only invalidated the wrongful accusations against him, but also called the true culprits in the Yugoslav tragedy by their righful names: the big powers, striving for influence on the Balkans, who in every conceivable way have pursued the dismantling of Yugoslavia for more than ten years – most recently by their open aggression in 1999 followed by the imposition of a puppet regime for Serbia and Montenegro in 2000.
Not even the Nazis in the so-called "Reichstags fire trial“ or the Apartheid-racists in the Rivonia trials dared to impose unwanted counsel on Georgi Dimitroff or Nelson Mandela in order to deprive them of their right to self-defence.
• Against the impact of this recent illegal action in The Hague, the work of the defence team will have to be further intensified.
• Against the NATO-Tribunal’s concentrated power, there remains only the voice of Slobodan Milosevic – and our support of his defence team. Let this voice be heard in the name of justice!
• Donations are needed urgently! Let history not be written by the aggressors! Any donation to the legal assitance fund will serve as a contribution to the defense of international law!
Please donate to the following account
Peter Betscher;
Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Darmstadt;
IBAN: DE 21 5085 0150 0102 1441 63;
SWIFT-BIC: HELADEF1DAS
Internationales Komitee für die Verteidigung von Slobodan Milosevic - ICDSM - URL: www.free-slobo.de
Klaus Hartmann, Schillstraße 7, 63067 Offenbach am Main, Tel/Fax –69-835850, e-mail: vorstand@freidenker.de
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