War crimes suspect Ratko Mladic boycotts UN court

Former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic refuses to reappear before a UN war crimes court at The Hague Monday where he is due to enter pleas for charges including genocide, according to his lawyer.

Mladic, 69, is accused of war crimes relating to his role in the 1992-95 Bosnian war, including allegedly ordering the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica.

Mladic is boycotting the UN war crimes court for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) over the power to appoint his own defense team.

His lawyer Milos Saljic told the AFP that Mladic informed prison authorities he does not want to appear in court Monday because his defense attorneys have not yet been approved.

"Mladic said he could not study the indictment and therefore prepare a plea without his lawyers," Saljic said.

A spokesperson for the court, Nerma Jelacic, said that as the tribunal had not been officially informed of Mladic's boycott, preparations for the proceedings are going ahead as planned. 

If he fails to appear Monday to enter his pleas, the court is expected to enter one of "not guilty" for him.

Mladic was arrested in Serbia in May after 16 years on the run. He was then extradited to The Hague after Serbian courts ruled he was fit to stand trial. His family and supporters say he is too frail to face the tribunal.

The former general appeared at the court in early June and refused to enter pleas. He dismissed the charges against him as "monstrous" and "obnoxious", and said he was gravely ill. 

More Breaking News coverage: Ratko Mladic appears at war crimes tribunal (VIDEO)