RIJEKA COURT RIJEKA, March 24 (Hina) - The Rijeka County Court on Monday pronounced Tihomir Oreskovic, Mirko Norac and Stjepan Grandic guilty of war crimes committed against civilians in the Gospic area in the autumn of 1991, while
indictee Ivica Rozic was acquitted and released. The verdicts are not final.
RIJEKA, March 24 (Hina) - The Rijeka County Court on Monday
pronounced Tihomir Oreskovic, Mirko Norac and Stjepan Grandic
guilty of war crimes committed against civilians in the Gospic area
in the autumn of 1991, while indictee Ivica Rozic was acquitted and
released. The verdicts are not final. #L#
Judge Ika Saric, who presided over the panel of judges conducting
the trial, read out the verdict sentencing Oreskovic to 15, Norac to
12 and Grandic to ten years in prison. Explaining the acquittal of
Ivica Rozic, Saric said that it had not been proven during the trial
that he had committed the crimes from his indictment.
The panel of judges established in the explanation of the verdict
that Oreskovic and Norac had ordered the abduction of civilians
from their homes and cellars, their imprisonment and execution, as
well as that Norac had personally killed a woman during an execution
of civilians at Pazariste. It was confirmed, according to the
explanation of the verdict, that the so-called deadly meeting at
the Lika crisis headquarters, at which the then most influential
people in Gospic agreed on the liquidation of civilians and
subsequently killed at least ten civilians at Pazariste, had been
held at Norac and Oreskovic's order.
Judge Saric said that the killed civilians, of whom there were at
least 50, had in no way participated in the war conflict nor had they
been helping the enemy.
Mitigating circumstances in Grandic's case included his family
situation and the fact that he had partially admitted his acts.
Mitigating circumstances in Norac's case referred to the fact that
the went to war at a young age, while in Oreskovic's case they
referred to his current condition. A mitigating circumstance for
all three indictees was their appropriate behaviour during the
trial. Aggravating circumstances included the number of killed
persons, the transfer of their bodies and their burning to cover up
the crimes, the fact that four children lost both parents, and the
murder of an entire family, the Pantelics. Judge Saric said the
court had taken into account the fact that the crimes had been
committed in conditions of an imposed defence war and that before
and after the said crimes the convicts had not committed any other
criminal acts for which they would receive final verdicts. She
mentioned their contribution to the defence of the country, their
going to war in a situation when many "'big' and honest Croats" left
Gospic.
The time spent in detention will be calculated into their
sentences.
An attorney for Rozic, Mirko Ruzic, told reporters he had expected
an acquittal for his client because there was no evidence that he
had committed the crimes he was charged with. Grandic's attorney
Milenko Skrlec commended the way the trial had been conducted,
expressing satisfaction with the conduct of judge Saric and the
deputy county prosecutor. Skrlec said that he was "fascinated with
the dignified conduct of the audience in the courtroom". Norac's
attorney Tomislav Sabljar said he would appeal against the verdict
because it was too harsh. Deputy county prosecutor Doris Hrast
would not give any statements.
The trial of the Gospic Group lasted 14 months, during which more
than 150 witnesses gave testimonies. The convicts remain in
custody.
(hina) rml sb