Oric, age 36, is charged with six counts of violations of the laws and customs of war committed by his forces during attacks on some 50 Serb villages in the general area of Srebrenica in 1992 and 1993.
Prosecutor Jan Wubben described Oric as a war lord who had been aware of beatings of Serb prisoners, but who tolerated them. The accused had effective control of his subordinates and that's why he is criminally responsible, he said.
Oric was arrested by international peacekeeping forces in Tuzla in April 2003, and at his initial appearance before the judges he pleaded not guilty to the charges.