Henessy said that so far the tribunal had pronounced only some 15 sentences of 20 or more years' imprisonment for crimes that were much more serious than those Naletilic was convicted for.
The appeals chamber, presided by Judge Fausto Pocar of Italy, today started the two-day hearing about appeals submitted by the defence counsel and the prosecution against the verdicts which the tribunal passed in the trial of the former commander of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) Convicts' Battalion, Mladen Naletilic aka Tuta, and the commander of one of the battalion's units, Vinko Martinovic aka Stela, who on March 31, 2003 were sentenced to 20 and 18 years in prison respectively.
The trial chamber, presided by Judge Liu Daqun, sentenced Naletilic for the persecution of Muslim civilians in the areas of Mostar and Jablanica, torture and imposing of forcible labour on prisoners, illegal displacement of civilians, and wanton destruction and plunder committed in the period from April 1993 to January 1994. Naletilic was acquitted of nine counts, including those referring to murder.
Martinovic, commander of the anti-terrorist unit "Mrmak", was found guilty of nine counts of persecution, murder, inhumane treatment and plunder and acquitted of eight counts.
Martinovic has been in prison since August 9, 1999, and Naletilic since March 24, 2000.
Martinovic's defence attorneys will present their arguments on Tuesday.