by Alison Parker

The United Nations War Crimes Tribunal recently charged former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on 66 accounts with three indictments of war crimes and crimes against humanity:

The former president faces charges relating to atrocities carried out in Kosovo in 1999, to crimes against humanity committed in Croatia between 1991 and 1992, and to alleged genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995 – British Broadcasting Corporation News

Several trials were considered due to the numerous nature of Milosevic's war crimes. One trial, which began on February 12, 2002 in The Hague, Netherlands, encompassed all three indictments, the UN International Criminal Tribunal decided, according to BBC News. In March of the same year, the tribunal called top Milosevic aides to face charges at the war crimes trial. One subsequently committed suicide.

Milosevic, who acted as his own representation, spent five days in opening defense statements, according to C-SPAN. According to CNN, he believes his arrest was unjustified and blamed NATO for the atrocities in Kosovo. Milosevic, who holds a law degree, heeded Judge Richard Jay’s warning to not intimidate the first witness, Mahmut Bakalli, with his terse questioning. He stayed within cross-examination guidelines, according to BBC News. In fact, Milosevic’s questioning led to the uncovering of flaws in Bakalli’s testimony.

Following 17 months into the trial, new evidence introduced into the trial implicated Milosevic of authorizing war crimes, according to The Observer. Further, The Observer reports that Milosevic’s henchman, a former secret police chief, will be tried in The Hague; some anticipate Jovica Stanisic will assist court authorities by dispersing information concerning Milosevic in order for lighter sentencing.

Some have expressed unhappiness with the court proceedings. Current Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has expressed his wariness with the war crimes tribunal and believes it may be biased against Serbs, according to BBC News. Further, according to CNN, an American ambassador told U.S. Congress the tribunal should cease its current function by 2008 because the “tribunal was mismanaged, unprofessional and full of abuse.”

The Milosevic trial is expected to last as long as two years, according to C-SPAN. As in the Nuremberg trials, the world still seeks justice for those who commit crimes against humanity.