Accused / appellant testifying in another case

Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Subpoenaing Tolimir - 13.11.2013 KARADŽIĆ Radovan
(IT-95-5/18-AR73.11)

34.     The Appeals Chamber recalls that “[s]ubpoenas should not be issued lightly, for they involve the use of coercive powers and may lead to the imposition of criminal sanction”.[1] Thus, the prerequisites for subpoena issuance, embodied in the evidentiary threshold, safeguard against the potentially oppressive deployment of subpoenas generally. However, the proposed use of subpoenas against accused persons and appellants raises the additional consideration of possible self-incrimination relative to their status as individuals with ongoing proceedings before the Tribunal. The question therefore is whether an accused or appellant compelled by subpoena to testify in another case before the Tribunal is in effect exposed, in relation to his own case, to the possibility of compelled self-incrimination in the form of either: (i) inadvertent self-incrimination, whereby the accused or appellant unwittingly makes self-incriminating statements; or (ii) deliberate self-incrimination whereby a Chamber may compel self-incriminating statements from the accused or appellant pursuant to Rule 90(E) of the Rules.

[…]

36.     The Appeals Chamber notes that the chapeau to Article 21(4) of the Statute relates the rights listed thereunder to “the determination of any charge” against an accused. Thus, whereas Article 21(4)(g) of the Statute operates to prohibit the compulsion of an accused’s testimony in his own proceedings, it does not, sensu stricto, preclude the possibility of an accused being compelled to testify in other proceedings, which do not involve the determination of charges against him. Thus, Article 21(4)(g) of the Statute does not as such operate to prohibit the compulsion of Tolimir’s testimony in the Karadžić case.[2]

[…]

50.     […] international law and the laws of various national jurisdictions indicate the permissibility of distinguishing between an accused’s own case and the cases of other accused persons for the purposes of compelling an accused’s testimony. The Appeals Chamber emphasises that an accused or appellant may be compelled to testify in other cases before the Tribunal due to the fact that any self-incriminating information elicited in those proceedings cannot be directly or derivatively used against him in his own case. By contrast, an accused or appellant is not compellable in his own case, whether at the request of his co-accused or the Prosecution, as this may violate his right under Article 21(4)(g) of the Statute. […]

[1] Brđanin Appeal Decision [Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brđanin and Momir Talić, Case No. IT-99-36-AR73.9, Decision on Interlocutory Appeal, 11 December 2002], para. 31.

[2] The Appeals Chamber notes that the issue of whether an accused or appellant may be compelled to testify in other proceedings has not to date arisen before it for consideration. Certain trial chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”) have declined the requests of accused to compel the testimony of other accused involved in different proceedings before that tribunal. See Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T, Decision on Joseph Nzirorera’s Motion to Postpone or Compel the Testimony of Augustin Ngirabatware, 3 May 2010, paras 7-8; Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T, Decision on Joseph Nzirorera’s Motion to Postpone or Compel the Testimony of Casimir Bizimungu, 7 April 2010, paras 6-7; Prosecutor v. Jean-Paul Akayesu, Case No. ICTR-96-4-T, Decision on a Defence Motion for the Appearance of an Accused as an Expert Witness, 9 March 1998, p. 3; Prosecutor v. Jean-Paul Akayesu, Case No. ICTR-96-4-T, Decision on a Motion for Summonses and Protection of Witnesses Called by the Defence, 17 February 1998, pp. 2-3 (collectively “ICTR trial decisions”). The Appeals Chamber recalls, however, that neither the Appeals Chamber nor the Trial Chamber is bound by the ICTR trial decisions. See Prosecutor v. Zlatko Aleksovski, Case No. IT-95-14/1-A, Judgement, 24 March 2000, para. 114 (“decisions of Trial Chambers, which are bodies with coordinate jurisdiction, have no binding force on each other”). Furthermore and in any event, the Appeals Chamber does not consider the ICTR trial decisions to be persuasive in determination of the issues presently before it, particularly in view of the limited analysis presented therein. Cf. Prosecutor v. Zejnil Delalić et al., Case No. IT-96-21-A, Judgement, 20 February 2001, para. 24. See also Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadžić, Case No. IT-95-5/18-AR98bis.1, Judgement, 11 July 2013, para. 94.

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Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Subpoenaing Tolimir - 13.11.2013 KARADŽIĆ Radovan
(IT-95-5/18-AR73.11)

35.     The critical issue is whether Rule 90(E) of the Rules adequately protects an accused or appellant from the direct and indirect use against him of any compelled self-incriminating information, arising as a result of deliberate or inadvertent self-incrimination. In this regard, the Appeals Chamber notes Tolimir’s contention that Rule 90(E) of the Rules “is not a complete protection from self-incrimination”,[1] and that compelling him to testify pursuant to Rule 90(E) of the Rules would constitute a violation of his right against self-incrimination under Article 21(4)(g) of the Statute.[2]

[…]

43.     The immunity from prosecution guaranteed under Rule 90(E) of the Rules clearly prohibits the subsequent direct use of any self-incriminating statements compelled under the provision against the witness in criminal proceedings other than those concerned with false testimony. Thus, where an accused or appellant is compelled to make self-incriminating statements under Rule 90(E) of the Rules, the Prosecution is prohibited from directly relying on such statements in the accused’s or appellant’s own case. Furthermore, in view of the fact that the underlying purpose of the immunity under Rule 90(E) of the Rules is to protect a witness from the subsequent use of such statements against him, and considering that the laws of various national and international jurisdictions reflect that incriminating statements may be compelled from a witness only where adequate safeguards exist against the subsequent use of such statements against the witness, the Appeals Chamber finds that the immunity under Rules 90(E) of the Rules must be interpreted also as a prohibition against the derivative or indirect use of the compelled statements in any subsequent prosecution of the witness other than for false testimony. Testimony compelled under Rule 90(E) of the Rules therefore cannot be used by the Prosecution as a basis for subsequent investigations from which other incriminating evidence may be derived and then used against the accused or appellant.

44.     Furthermore, regarding the issue of inadvertent self-incrimination, the Appeals Chamber emphasizes that in the Impugned Decision the Trial Chamber expressed that it “will be cognisant of the fact that Tolimir is currently involved in appeals proceedings before the Appeals Chamber and will ensure his rights are safeguarded.”[3] Moreover, in the interests of justice in this particular case, particularly in view of the fact that Tolimir is a self-represented appellant, any self-incriminating testimony inadvertently provided during Tolimir’s testimony in the Karadžić case shall not be used as evidence during his appeal or any subsequent proceedings against him, except for false testimony.

45.     Accordingly, […] considering that national and international jurisdictions have recognised that the right against self-incrimination is adequately protected if adequate immunity from prosecution for compelled self-incriminating statements is provided and taking into account the nature of the protection provided by Rule 90(E) of the Rules, the Appeals Chamber finds that the compulsion of an accused’s or appellant’s testimony under Rule 90(E) of the Rules in another case before the Tribunal is not inconsistent with the right against self-incrimination under Article 21(4)(g) of the Statute. Any self-incriminating information potentially emerging during Tolimir’s testimony in the Karadžić case, therefore, could not be used directly or indirectly against Tolimir in his own case. Thus the Prosecution would be prohibited from attempting, pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules, to tender into evidence in the Tolimir case any self-incriminating information derived from Tolimir’s testimony in the Karadžić case, or any evidence derived therefrom. […]

[1] Appeal [Appeal against the Decision on the Accused’s Motion to Subpoena Zdravko Tolimir”, 11 June 2013], para. 19. See also Appeal, paras 15-20, 25-29; Reply to the Prosecution Submissions on the Appeal [Reply to Prosecution’s Submissions on Tolimir’s Appeal, 12 August 2013], para. 6.

[2] Appeal, paras 17, 30-31. See also Reply to the Prosecution Submissions on the Appeal, para. 2.

[3] Impugned Decision [Decision on Accused’s Motion to Subpoena Zdravko Tolimir”, 9 May 2013], para. 22.

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ICTR Statute Article 20(4)(g) ICTY Statute Article 21(4)(g) ICTR Rule Rule 90(E) ICTY Rule Rule 90(E)