War crimes indictee Ratko Mladic will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for the second time on Monday, without a permanent counsel, to plead on the charges against him.

At his initial appearance before the court, he declined to plead on the charges, saying he needed more time to study them. The court scheduled the next hearing for July 4.

ICTY spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic told AFP that if Mladic refuses to plead on the charges again, Judge Alphons Orie would enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.

She added Orie would also question Mladic on the conditions in the detention unit of the UN court, and the preparations being conducted by his defense team.

On June 22, Mladic submitted a list of potential defense counsels to the ICTY Secretariat, and a formal request to be appointed one on June 23.