The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, is due to be formally charged by the UN war crimes tribunal.
The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, is due to be formally charged by the UN war crimes tribunal.
Mr Karadzic, arrested in Belgrade last week after 13 years on the run, has been extradited to the Netherlands and is being held at a UN detention centre.
Mr Karadzic was indicted on 11 counts of war crimes in connection with the 1990s Bosnian conflict, but the exact charges will only be revealed in court.
At the court in The Hague he will hear the exact charges concerning alleged crimes against humanity and genocide during the 1990s Bosnian conflict.
He will be asked to enter a plea, but he is under no obligation to do so.
Mr Karadzic has said he intends to conduct his own defence.
Mr Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade last week after 13 years on the run, and extradited to the Netherlands where he is being held at a detention centre.
The court appearance is likely to be just the opening skirmish in a long, legal battle, says the BBC's Dominic Hughes in The Hague.
Mr Karadzic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at 1600 local time (1400 GMT) and then will have 30 days to enter a plea.
He was said by his lawyers to have been in a "relaxed and confident" mood on the eve of his extradition to the Netherlands in the early hours of Wednesday.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Inside the UN detention centre in The Hague
Inside the UN detention centre in The Hague
Mr Karadzic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at 1600 (1400 GMT) and then will have 30 days to enter a plea.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Mr Karadzic's arrest was "immensely important", adding that the victims of the war had "waited too long for this day".
He is said by his lawyers to have been in a "relaxed and confident" mood on the eve of his extradition to the Netherlands in the early hours of Wednesday.
However, both prosecution and defence teams said they would need months to prepare for the trial.
Mr Karadzic currently faces 11 charges including genocide, but the exact details will only be revealed when he makes his appearance before the court.
In addition, Mr Karadzic has said that he does not recognise the court and plans to conduct his own defence.
Speaking at a news conference, the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Mr Karadzic's arrest was "immensely important", adding that the victims of the war had "waited too long for this day".
As such, this first court appearance likely to be just the opening skirmish in a long legal battle, says the BBC's Dominic Hughes in The Hague.
However, he warned that prosecution and defence teams would need "some months" to prepare for what would be a complex trial. A lawyer for Mr Karadzic said it would take at least three months for his team to prepare its case
'Appeal ruse'
Appeal ruse
Mr Karadzic left Belgrade on Wednesday hours after clashes at a rally attended by at least 10,000 supporters to protest about his arrest.
THE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites
Mr Karadzic left Belgrade hours after clashes at a rally attended by at least 10,000 supporters to protest about his arrest.
He then took a special flight to Rotterdam airport in the Netherlands, from where he was transferred to the UN's detention unit.
He then took a special flight to Rotterdam airport in the Netherlands, from where he was transferred to the UN's detention unit.
Under normal procedure, he would be read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed, and then undergo a medical examination.
THE INDICTMENT Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites
The 63-year-old had reportedly attempted to challenge the legality of his transfer but a senior member of his legal team has now told the BBC that no appeal was ever lodged.
The 63-year-old had reportedly attempted to challenge the legality of his transfer, but a senior member of his legal team has now told the BBC that no appeal was ever lodged.
Karadzic's daughter and wife will now receive passportsGoran Petronijevic, who joined the Karadzic legal team on Tuesday, admitted that reports of an appeal being posted from somewhere in Serbia had been a ruse designed to buy time for Mr Karadzic's family to visit him in jail.
Goran Petronijevic, who joined the Karadzic legal team on Tuesday, admitted that reports of an appeal being sent by post to the authoritities in Serbia had been a ruse designed to delay Mr Karadzic's extradition in order to allow time for his family to visit him in jail.
The ruse failed since they did not manage to visit him in Belgrade.
However, a travel ban on his family was lifted on Wednesday, to allow them to visit him in The Hague.
Now Mr Karadzic's wife, daughter and son have had their identity cards returned by the authorities in the Bosnian city of Pale, and have applied for passports to visit him in The Hague, after a travel ban was lifted.
Their documents had been confiscated in January under suspicion that they were helping Mr Karadzic in hiding.
Mr Karadzic was arrested on 21 July in Belgrade. He had changed his appearance, having grown a long beard, and was working as an alternative therapist.
Mr Karadzic was arrested on 21 July in Belgrade. He had changed his appearance, having grown a long beard, and was working as an alternative therapist.
He is reported to have shaved his beard and had a haircut while he has been in custody.
He is reported to have shaved his beard and had a haircut while he has been in custody.
EU pressure
EU pressure
Mr Karadzic led the formation of a separate Bosnian Serb assembly in 1991 - one of the sparks that ignited the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Mr Karadzic led the formation of a separate Bosnian Serb assembly in 1991 - one of the sparks that ignited the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Mr Karadzic has reportedly shaved off the beard he grew while on the run
Mr Karadzic has reportedly shaved off the beard he grew while on the run
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide over the massacre of up to 8,000 mainly Muslim Bosniaks at Srebrenica in 1995.
He has been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide over the massacre of up to 8,000 mainly Muslim Bosniaks at Srebrenica in 1995.
He has also been charged over the shelling of Sarajevo, and the use of 284 UN peacekeepers as human shields in May and June 1995.
He has also been charged over the shelling of Sarajevo, and the use of 284 UN peacekeepers as human shields in May and June 1995.
On Tuesday, EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels decided to defer a decision on unfreezing trade benefits for Serbia until Mr Karadzic was transferred to The Hague.
On Tuesday, EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels decided to defer a decision on unfreezing trade benefits for Serbia until Mr Karadzic was transferred to The Hague.
The EU is also demanding the arrest of Mr Karadzic's wartime military commander General Ratko Mladic, who remains at large.
The EU is also demanding the arrest of Mr Karadzic's wartime military commander General Ratko Mladic, who remains at large.
Were you affected by the Bosnian war? What will be the impact of the trial at The Hague? Send your comments using the form below:
Were you affected by the Bosnian war? What will be the impact of the trial at The Hague? Send your comments using the form below:
