The International War Crimes Tribunal in Holland today postponed the first day of the trial of Gojko Jankovic, a former Bosnian Serb paramilitary.
Mr Jankovic was due to answer charges rape and torture of Muslim women in the 1992-95 war in the region, but today's hearing at The Hague was postponed to allow him more time to read the indictment.
He flew to Holland on Monday from Bosnia's Serb Republic and surrendered to the UN authorities. He told the court that he had not read and discussed his indictment in detail and could not plead.
The court decided to hold another initial hearing within 30 days but did not specify a date. The indictment says Mr Jankovic was a paramilitary leader in the eastern Bosnian town of Foca and a sub-commander of military police.
It says he was responsible for the sexual assault of Muslim women by his subordinates and personally involved in the interrogation and rape of women.
The Serb Republic, which still has to make the first arrest of a suspect wanted by the Hague, hopes it can improve its image by encouraging fugitives to give themselves up on their own.
The policy has been used in neighbouring Serbia in recent months.