THE HAGUE, March 12 (Hina) - In their initial appearance before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Friday, retired Croatian army generals Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac pleaded not guilty to all seven counts of crimes against
humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war committed during and after Operation Storm in 1995.
THE HAGUE, March 12 (Hina) - In their initial appearance before the UN
war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Friday, retired Croatian army
generals Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac pleaded not guilty to all seven
counts of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and
customs of war committed during and after Operation Storm in 1995.#L#
"Not guilty, Your Honour," the two generals responded as Judge Carmel
Agius read each count of the indictment.
Markac and Cermak confirmed that they had been served with the
indictment, said they understood it, and waived the right to have it
read to them.
The indictment was confirmed on February 24, 2004 and the two generals
voluntarily surrendered to the tribunal on March 11.
The prosecution was represented by Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte
and Kenneth Scott, while defence counsel included attorney Cedo
Prodanovic, representing Cermak, and attorneys Miroslav Separovic and
Goran Mikulicic who represented Markac.
Cermak, 55, was commander of the Knin Garrison while Markac, 49,
commanded special police forces. They are both charged with individual
and command responsibility for the killing of at least 150 Serbs,
persecution, the plunder and wanton destruction of property,
deportation and forcible resettlement, and other inhumane acts against
the Serb population in areas stretching from Korenica to the
hinterland of the Adriatic city of Zadar, committed between August 4
and November 15, 1995.
The indictment also says that Cermak and Markac committed the crimes
as part of "a joint criminal enterprise" with General Ante Gotovina
and the late president Franjo Tudjman.
The defence counsel announced they would file a request for the
provisional release of their clients pending trial, which they did
after the session. They also enclosed written guarantees of the
Croatian government and the accused.
Judge Agius said that there was sufficient reason for the generals to
apply for and be granted provisional release.
At the close of the session, Agius said he would step up procedure for
holding a status conference in the case at which the request for
provisional release would be discussed.
The court session was attended by Croatia's Assistant Justice Minister
for Cooperation with the tribunal, Jaksa Muljacic, and Ambassador to
the Netherlands, Frane Krnic.
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