A UN tribunal has convicted a journalist of contempt of court for publishing details about a protected witness who testified at the trial of Kosovo's former prime minister. The tribunal is trying those responsible for atrocities committed during the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s, says a Press Trust of India (PTI) report.
Journalist Baton Haxhiu was also fined 7,000 Euros by Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for revealing the identity of the witness, as well as his supposed whereabouts, in an article he wrote and published in Kosovo.
The Trial Chamber's judges were satisfied that Haxhiu, who had pleaded not guilty to the charge at his initial appearance in May, revealed this information knowing that he would be violating a court order.
"The accused's conduct could have jeopardised the security of the witness and his family and was of a kind to undermine confidence in the effectiveness of the tribunal's protective measures orders, and to have effect of dissuading witnesses from cooperating with the tribunal," Judge Alfons Orie said in the court.
"It is fundamental to the fulfillment of the tribunal's mission that courageous individuals who come to tell their story before the Tribunal, often about traumatic or difficult experiences, may apply to do so with the security provided by protective measures," the judgement read.
Haxhiu is one of three individuals charged with contempt for revealing confidential information about this witness during the trial of former Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj who was acquitted by the ICTY in April of charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity and others. The two others, Astrit Haraqija and Bajrush Morina are awaiting trial.
