On 11 April 2025, the Court of Appeals Chamber issued its decision dismissing the appeal filed by the Veseli ‘s and Krasniqi’s Defence. The appeal challenged a Trial Panel’s oral order from 5 December 2024, which had rejected an objection concerning the use of a statement from a non-testifying witness during the Panel’s questioning of witness Sokol Bashota.
The Appeals Panel reaffirmed the broad discretion afforded to the Trial Panel under the Rules, including the right to question witnesses on matters not raised by the parties. Among its conclusions, the Appeals Panel determined that, during its questioning, the Trial Panel was assessing the credibility or seeking clarification from a witness and that no actual prejudice had been demonstrated.
This is another decision concerning the Defence's objections about the Panel's witness questioning. We mentioned the prior two decisions in our last update.