Karadzic immunity appeal rejected

Radovan Karadzic is defending himself at the tribunal

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has lost his appeal that war crimes charges against him be dropped.

He had appealed against a court ruling made in July that a trial would still be held despite his claim of immunity.

But the court ruled that he should have more time to review documents before his trial at The Hague begins.

It was due to start on 21 October but could now begin later, as Mr Karadzic has been given five days to review the prosecution's annotated indictment.

The prosecution must produce the document by 19 October.

Immunity claim

Mr Karadzic is charged with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide.

The charges relate to the 1995 massacre of about 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica during the Bosnian war.

Mr Karadzic was arrested and brought to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) last year, after more than a decade in hiding.

He denies all charges and wanted them dropped on the grounds that he was offered immunity by former US mediator Richard Holbrooke in 1996 if he left public life.

Mr Holbrooke has repeatedly denied the claim.

The judges ruled on Tuesday: "Even if the alleged agreement were proved, it would not limit the jurisdiction of the tribunal, it would not otherwise be binding on the tribunal and it would not trigger the doctrine of abuse of process."