Testimony ends at UN tribunal's sentencing hearing for former Bosnian Serb President

At the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the final witnesses testified today in the sentencing hearing of former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic.

In October, Mrs. Plavsic pleaded guilty to crimes against humanity - a broad category that incorporates mass killings, detention and mistreatment of non-Serbs and destruction of property - and faces possible life imprisonment.

Among today's witnesses were former Secretary of State and Ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright of the United States, who testified in support of Mrs. Plavsic, and Carl Bildt, a former Special Envoy of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the Balkans and High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Earlier witnesses included Robert Frowick, former mission head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel, former Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and the former deputy head of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Alex Boraine.

Mrs. Plavsic is the only politician in the former Yugoslavia to accept responsibility for actions during the Bosnian wars and is the only woman to appear before the UN Tribunal.