On Tuesday, 14 November 2006, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will hand down the first instance verdict in the case of Radovan Stanković. The verdict hearing will take place in courtroom 6 at 11.00 am.

This is the first case transferred to the Court of BiH by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The indictment, which the Court confirmed/accepted on 7 December 2005, charges the Accused with the criminal offence of Crimes against humanity pursuant to Article 172 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH.  The factual allegations in the indictment relate to events in the area of Foča between April 1992 and February 1993.

The indictment alleges that, together with other persons, Radovan Stanković set up a detention center for women in August 1992, in the so-called „Karamanova kuća“ (Karaman's House), which the soldiers also referred to as the „Brothel“. It is further alleged that at least nine female persons were detained in the center, most of them juveniles.  Over an extended period of time, alone or with other persons, the Accused allegedly forced several female detainees into sexual intercourse and forced labor in this center, while insulting and beating them.

This is also the first verdict to be handed down in a case transferred from the ICTY to the Court of BiH.  Until today, 5 cases involving 9 Accused have been transferred to the authorities of BiH.  The trial panel in this case held a total of 16 hearings lasting over 44 hours.