Testimony about "inflammatory rhetoric" of the former President of the Crisis Staff of the Autonomous Region of Krajina that the prosecution deems crossed the threshold dividing "politically incorrect speech" from war crimes.

The prosecution and defense rest in the trial of Radoslav Brdjanin, former president of the Crisis Staff of the so-called Autonomous Region of Krajina, who stands accused of genocide in northwestern Bosnia.

In its decision in the Brdjanin case – which will have an impact on all the current and future proceedings involving the genocide charge – the Appeals Chamber of the Tribunal has set a new standard of proof for the liability for the gravest of all crimes

The scale of operations conducted in the spring and summer of 1992 in northeastern Bosnia "demanded coordination and control between the military, police and the political authorities," stated the prosecution during closing arguments at the trial of Radoslav Brdjanin, accused of genocide and other crimes against Bosniaks and Croats.

Quoting a number of Brdjanin's statements that the prosecutor says indicates his genocidal intent, the prosecution finished its closing arguments at his trial for crimes in northwestern Bosnia. The defense begins its closing arguments claiming that neither Brdjanin nor the Crisis Staff of which he was president had any authority in the Autonomous Region of Krajina.

Radoslav Brdjanin’s defence requests the accused be acquitted on all counts, arguing his Crisis Staff in the Autonomous Region of Krajina was “clownish” in character and “ignored” by other government bodies. A verdict is expected at the end of August 2004.

Former president of the Crisis Staff of the so-called Autonomous Region of Krajina found guilty on eight of a total of 12 counts in the indictment charging him with the crimes committed between April and December 1992 in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Appeals Chamber granted two out of more than 150 grounds for appeal presented by Radoslav Brdjanin and reduced his sentence by two years – from 32 down to 30. Brdjanin is the former president of the ARK Crisis Staff