Trial of Chernorussian gov't officials to begin

[Nagato the Great]

Kharkov rose. "Your troops fired on ours. Before this happened, your FA minister pressed a button on some pendant. For all we know, this may have been the order to attack. She also refused to hand over the strange pendant, furthening our suspicion."

[Imperator Azenquor]

The State Prosecutor leapt to his feet and replied:

"As is standard Buryatian diplomatic regulation, when a high ranking official is required to make a diplomatic trip to a hostile nation, certain security precautions are taken. A pendant that records the meeting, as well as other classified measures are taken. Your Honor, none of these classified measures allow contact between the Diplomat and her guards. All contact is with the respective government agency.

Given your extreme hostility, as shown on the very same tapes, in which you assaulted a Buryatian government official. Secondly could you provide any evidence to this court that such an order was given? The answer is clearly no, as no order was given and the troops fought back in self defense. It is clear on the tapes that the exchange of fire happened only after you had given an order to take the Foreign Minister and her guards into custody, in flagrant violation of diplomatic protocol. Your move was in no way defensive. It was a hostile act of aggression that the Chernorussian government hoped that they could simply sweep under the rug.

The statements of these two defendants are indicative of their character. We have provided ample evidence, whereas they have only provided their word as their defense. Their guilt on this charge is so abundantly clear, we need not proceed further"-State Prosecutor

The Chief Justice turned to the defendant and replied:

"The defense may rebut the arguments made by the State Prosecutor"

OOC: Fixed

Edited September 26, 2009 by Imperator Azenquor

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: he was thinking "I should have killed her" he did not say it out loud. please alter your post based on this.

IC: "Kidnapping?" 'Big Brother' snapped. "Kidnapping? I fail to remember when I admitted to such a thing! No such thing ever happened. As for the pendant being a recorder, she should have announced this, rather than blatantly refuse. As for the Vice-Empress, we fired on her troops after they fired on us. She ran away. We had no intention of kidnapping her, nor harming her. And the Minister and her troops clearly over-reacted. As for against protocol, is it not against protocol to hostily prevent a leader from leaving talks? As your FA minister did?"

[Elrich von Richt]

The SST Representative stood up, motioning to the judge for a chance to present his evidence.

[Imperator Azenquor]

The Judge permits any evidence to be brought by the SST Representative to be handed to both the Defense Counsel and the State Prosecutor

[Imperator Azenquor]

Impatient, the judge spoke once again:

"Unless the SST Representative presents the requested evidence the Court will dismiss those charges on a lack of evidence. This is the last opportunity for the SST Representative to submit evidence and charges against the defendants. Should you not take this opportunity, we shall proceed with the trial as we are sure that both the State Prosecutor and the Defendants wish to state their cases."

[Nagato the Great]

'Big Brother' leaned over to Kharkov. "Do they really think the Haruhiists want to present viable evidence?" he said so lowly that it was very difficult to hear him. "They are only stalling so they can find some--" he suddenly stopped and looked up, as though someone had just spoken to him. He looked confused at first, then he grinned and sat back down.

[Elrich von Richt]

The Representative carefully stepped forward, as his turn to present evidence had come. He reached into his briefcase, and pulled out two sets of tapes. One set was from the AUP Congress Room in Urajiosutuko, the other was from Sakuya's collar when she was almost taken into custody. They made sure she had surveillance whenever she was outside the country, especially after the Fists of Harmony.

"Now, your honor, if you'll see these two normal tapes before you, you'll be rather suprised. However, what we show you after this is the most shocking of all. Two pieces of evidence after this, are what will be shown after this."

He pulled up a VCR, and a TV, and placed the first video in. He fastforwarded it to where the Chernorussian minister began to make comments on the events within the Palace, and the comments made by other representatives up until his detainment. The second tape showed Sakuya's guards firing, and showed Onetopp's death, as well. It also showed Sakuya's escape, and the demeaning behavior of Big Brother towards the Vice-Empress.

"Both of these are rather small fetch at first, aren't they? But here's the crucial details."

He pulled out two more items, one was a folder wrapped in classified stickers and SST imperial marking. The other was a surveillance tape from the back rooms of the Imperial Palace, showing Sakuya's doing.

"We found these in the possession of the Chernorussia's Minister of Foreign Affairs. One, is classified files from the inside of the Imperial Palace, detailing the events of the Assassination Attempt on the Vice-Empress, and the events thereafter. The tape, however, is from the surveillance cameras inside the Palace, and shows exactly what Sakuya did thereafter. For security purposes, we won't show either publically. However, we'll share them with your delegation privately, as needed, for trial purposes. Both of these are RESTRICTED to the government, and shouldn't be seen outside the Palace. Our curiosity peaks at this, and we now ask Big Brother, how did your Minister obtain this sensitive information?"

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: you can't RP my FA minister having stuff unless I allow you to. you can't just say "We found this on him" without my approval.

IC: "What?!" Big Brother rose angrily. "This is obviously faked. My FA minister had nothing but a photograph of Sakuya with a bloody sword, among his miscellaneous belongings with him on that day. His personal assistant and servant can attest to this fact. The Haruhiists are obviously using foul play."

[Elrich von Richt]

OOC: you can't RP my FA minister having stuff unless I allow you to. you can't just say "We found this on him" without my approval.

IC: "What?!" Big Brother rose angrily. "This is obviously faked. My FA minister had nothing but a photograph of Sakuya with a bloody sword, among his miscellaneous belongings with him on that day. His personal assistant and servant can attest to this fact. The Haruhiists are obviously using foul play."

OOC: Actually, i can RP him having stuff. That dosen't go beyond the limitations.

IC: "A photograph, eh? That's still classified information, secretive to our government only. How would you have even aquired THAT?"

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: Actually, i can RP him having stuff. That dosen't go beyond the limitations.

IC: "A photograph, eh? That's still classified information, secretive to our government only. How would you have even aquired THAT?"

OOC: so then quite within the rules i could RP your representative having a gun with him or carrying a bomb.

IC: "Actually, according to your leader," Big Brother pointed out. "The photograph was released to the media, which is where we got it. A photo of your vice-empress with a bloody sword?"

[verum vox vocis]

OOC: Actually, i can RP him having stuff. That dosen't go beyond the limitations.

OOC: Truthfully, from what I understand, and as a neutral observer on the events in these forums, I understood it to be common courtesy that you don't RP someone else's character, which is what that would amount to. If you want to say it's propaganda, however, I wouldn't see anything wrong with that.

[Imperator Azenquor]

OOC: Actually, i can RP him having stuff. That dosen't go beyond the limitations.

IC: "A photograph, eh? That's still classified information, secretive to our government only. How would you have even aquired THAT?"

OOC: You are RPing something being in the possession of a character out of your RP control. Therefore, you can't state that he had a tape on him, unless you pulled a KGB and slipped him the tape and got his prints on it, etc.

OOC: so then quite within the rules i could RP your representative having a gun with him or carrying a bomb.

IC: "Actually, according to your leader," Big Brother pointed out. "The photograph was released to the media, which is where we got it. A photo of your vice-empress with a bloody sword?"

The judge banged his gavel, then spoke:

"The tape and picture are being entered into evidence. A panel of experts shall ascertain the validity of the tapes. As for the photograph in question, our transcripts from the AUP Congress, verified by those presented here, clearly imply that the photograph constituted classified information. I therefore request that the defendants state, which they have failed to do so far on several occasions, how the Foreign Minister came to possess a copy of this photograph."-Judge

The State Prosecutor leapt to his feet and replied:

"We also wish to make it known that the defendant was asked this question during the negotiations with our government and the Haruhiist Empire. At that point, the defendant again refused to answer the question. This begs the question that if the defendants had acquired the picture through legitimate means, then why did they not say so when asked and avoid the entire situation leading up to their detainment?"

[Nagato the Great]

"It's called media," Big Brother said slowly. "Have you never heard of cutting a photograph out of a newspaper, or printing a picture from the internet? How exactly can something 'classified' be found on the internet, then?"

[Imperator Azenquor]

"It's called media," Big Brother said slowly. "Have you never heard of cutting a photograph out of a newspaper, or printing a picture from the internet? How exactly can something 'classified' be found on the internet, then?"

The State Prosecutor stood:

"Interesting 'Big Brother', when asked the very same question at the negotiations, after dodging the question, you said, and I quote:

The information we got was simply something that my Minister of Foreign Affairs alerted me to after hearing some strange rumours. When I brought it up in the Congress, it was obvious they were not just rumours by the response given.

"We therefore ask if it is not suspicious that, despite having no contact with your Foreign Minister since his detention you have now seen fit to change your story? Perhaps the defendant would do best to pick one lie and stick to it."-State Prosecutor

[Nagato the Great]

"Perhaps the state prosecutor would do best..." Big Brother growled, almost finishing the shut the hell up before I rip his gizzard out but he stopped short. "Yes, I got the photo, and a story circulating around the internet."

[Imperator Azenquor]

"Perhaps the state prosecutor would do best..." Big Brother growled, almost finishing the shut the hell up before I rip his gizzard out but he stopped short. "Yes, I got the photo, and a story circulating around the internet."

The State Prosecutor stood once again:

“Let the record show that this is the third time the defendant has changed his testimony. You said that your foreign minister got the photo and heard rumors which were confirmed at the AUP. Now you say you got the photo and a story circulating around the internet.

We have evidence confirmed by five independent sources and verified by SST officials that the photograph and associated information has not ever been posted in the public domain, not even on the internet. So unless the defendant’s definition of ‘internet’ is ‘espionage’, it is clear that he is being dishonest.

The tapes have clearly shown and verified that the defendant directly ordered the killing of an unarmed government official with diplomatic immunity, permitting his soldiers to assault the official, and kidnapping two senior government officials. The list of crimes of the Chernorussian officials is longer than a shop-a-holic’s credit card bill. They are even attempting to cover up the brutal murder of a government official by claiming that she ordered her guards to attack Chernorussian forces.

It is abundantly clear that Dr. Onatopp gave no such order, the evidence being on the tapes. Your Honor, taken in context, this all shows that the defendant has no moral problem with lying, or even fabricating evidence. Each of his claims can be refuted by video, forensic and other verifiable evidence. His only defense is his word, which the statements he has made show is itself suspect.

On this particular charge, the evidence of espionage is overwhelming. He has yet to give an honest and verifiable answer as to how he gained classified information. He states now, that the photograph was obtained from the internet. Our own searches, including those of systems in the Former Chernorussia, have proven that this photograph was not on the internet at the time that he made his claims at the AUP Congress.

We ask once again, how you acquired a classified photograph and describe a classified incident with such detail at the AUP Congress when such an incident and the photographic evidence were clearly classified.”-State Prosecutor

Deciding to push further, the State Prosecutor paced in a circle then replied:

“As a leader, you have conducted yourself in a dishonorable and cowardly manner, and Chernorussia has suffered as a result. Now you have an opportunity to do the one honorable thing left, and that is to tell the truth.”-State Prosecutor

As the State Prosecutor took his seat, the Judge turned to the defendant:

"We now give defendants the opportunity to respond."-Judge

[Nagato the Great]

Big Brother rolled his eyes. "You are so idiotic it is hardly worth my time to try to speak with you. The Haruhiists said they put it on the media, and internet falls under media. I never said I got it, I got it through my FA minister. It doesn't take a total retard to figure that much out, though apparently for the prosecutors it does. As for killing Onatopp, she refused to hand over a suspicious object, and strangely, her troops fired on us right after she pressed a button on this object. Note that all we were doing was putting them in custody for a short time, and they chose to die instead. In addition, we had no proof at the time Onatopp did not use the object to tell her troops to fire on us. She could have told us what the object was for, but instead she chose quite stupidly to keep it secret, which led to the whole thing. Your searches are wrong. In fact," Big Brother sneered. "you probably are yourself lying about these 'searches'. Your accusation falls on uncaring ears. I did not act cowardly in the least. Chernorussia does not suffer, my people are happy as long as they are loyal and not accepting conquest by Buryatia, and they are not."

[Imperator Azenquor]

The State Prosecutor speaks again:

“Once again your Honor the defendant has admitted guilt to another of the charges. He has acknowledged that he kidnapped both of the officials in flagrant disregard for their official and diplomatic status. The evidence of the murder, kidnapping and assault has been proven beyond any doubt.

As is proven by documents, the Presidential Guard units accompanying the Foreign Minister were instructed not to fire unless absolutely necessary. The sole question remaining is, did our soldiers fire before or after you moved to illegally detain our government official and her security entourage? The answer was given by the defendant himself when he admitted that they fired only after he ordered them to be detained.

It is clear from the rambling statements by the defendant, that he has no intention to cooperate. We have produced forensic, electronic, and documented evidence to prove the charges against the defendants. In return, the defendants have only offered weak rhetoric and empty statements. They have admitted to killing our Foreign Minister, to violating the terms of the treaty signed with Buryatia, to threatening Buryatian territory, endangering lightly armed Buryatian Peacekeepers, authorizing an act of aggression against Buryatia, and detaining two government officials illegally.

With the testimony presented and the evidence submitted by the People, against the empty rhetoric of a dishonored former leader, it is clear that the defendant has done little to nothing to defend himself against the allegations. It is our view that much time would have been saved, if the defendant had simply entered a guilty plea. Now I feel that I have presented all of the necessary evidence to the Court.

It is my hope that justice will be done here today. It is my hope that the dishonorable man who stands before us, shall receive the harshest penalty for his crimes. He has shown no remorse whatsoever, not even for the crimes he has already admitted guilt to. The people of the Former Chernorussia have been liberated from his rule, but justice still needs to be done. Justice for the family of Dr. Onatopp who was brutally murdered in the line of duty in clear violation of several laws and norms. Justice for the Vice Empress of the Haruhiist Empire who was illegally detained. Justice for the Buryatian soldiers who died in the line of duty. Justice for the Buryatian peacekeepers caught in the line of fire as a result of his act of aggression.

I yield.”-State Prosecutor

The Chief Justice nodded then turned to the defendant:

“You may give your closing statement now.”-Chief Justice

Edited October 3, 2009 by Imperator Azenquor

[Nagato the Great]

Big Brother sighed. "I suppose then it was fully in the law for Onatopp to forcibly prevent me from leaving the Buryatian talks?" he glared. "And kidnapping is a complete lie. I ordered them to be placed in temporary custody because Onatopp blatantly refused to cooperate on Chernorussian soil. The troops, being illogical, decided rather than spend a few hours in custody they would like to die. They engaged hostlities, so we were forced to eliminate them. Liberated..." he sneered. "My people hate you and your nation, and don't act like you don't know it! You're evidence is useless."

[Imperator Azenquor]

"Clearly, you were permitted to leave the talks. Despite the espionage allegations, your diplomatic immunity was respected. If the Haruhiist Empire had submitted a formal request to arrest you on Buryatian soil regarding the allegations, there would be a clearly defined process followed. No one has the right to detain, let alone murder an official with diplomatic immunity.

Regardless of her willingness to cooperate with an illegal search, our Foreign Minister held full diplomatic immunity. Had you felt that the items in her possession were a security threat, then there is a clearly defined set of rules governing actions towards that diplomat. These rules do not include assault, and murder. You have again admitted to murder, kidnapping and several other crimes.

Whether you hate Buryatia or not is absolutely irrelevant. As for your statements regarding the citizens of the Former Chernorussia, most have been rather cooperative, and even appreciative of our actions to restore normality in the region. Several former officials in your government have provided additional testimony and evidence to the tribunal. Peacekeepers are once again maintaining law and order and assisting the new Transitional government in the process of rebuilding the region. We have stated our case, and you have stated your defense. There is nothing left to do but wait on the Court to decide."-State Prosecutor

The Chief Prosecutor banged his gavel and turned to the State Prosecutor:

"There will be no more arguments presented, as we will now enter private deliberations."-Chief Justice

Turning to the Defendant, the Judge replied:

"We have heard the charges against you, and we have heard your defense. We will now undertake our duty to deliberate on all of the matters presented, and reach a resolution."

On cue, the panel of Judges rose from their seats and went into the Chief Judge's private chambers. As the door clicked shut, an armed officer moved in front of it. Inside the Courtroom, the State Prosecutor and Defendants were left to wait for the results of the deliberations. Silently, five armed officers entered the Courtroom and stood at the back. They would remain there until the verdict was in. If the defendants were found innocent, the guards would escort them from the building to be released, if they were found guilty, the guards would carry them to the detention area.

As the clock in the courtroom ticked up to 3:00pm, the Judges continued their deliberations. Three hours had now passed as the entire court waited patiently for the verdict. The State Prosecutor sat drumming his fingers on the table before him as he waited. Inside the Chief Justice's chambers, the judges checked each item before them meticulously. They read and re-read the transcripts from the trial, and analyzed reports from several experts. The Judges would have no contact with the outside world until they reached a verdict.

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: you can't decide how my citizens feel or felt about Chernorussia, nor what government officials did.

IC: "Tch." Big Brother scoffed. "!@#$%^&*. No true citizen hated Chernorussia, nor the government.

Kharkov agreed.

[Imperator Azenquor]

OOC: you can't decide how my citizens feel or felt about Chernorussia, nor what government officials did.

IC: "Tch." Big Brother scoffed. "!@#$%^&*. No true citizen hated Chernorussia, nor the government.

Kharkov agreed.

OOC: As a technicality, Chernorussia no longer exists, and I control the protectorate and have set up a Transitional government there. And since I am allowed to RP what happens in a protectorate, then I am perfectly within the limits with the last post to RP what the people in the protectorate think. I have not RPed what your government officials have done. I simply RPed the area in the aftermath of your government's collapse. There is a difference

IC: The clock ticked on as the Judges' deliberation continued. It was now five hours since they had entered the deliberations, and there was no sign of a verdict.

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: you actually did mention saying that my officials testified against me.

IC: Big Brother looked perfectly calm.

[Imperator Azenquor]

OOC: Again I repeat the technicality that Chernorussia no longer exists and I can RP the people in the protectorate, including your former government officials only because Chernorussia no longer exists.