THE HAGUE, March 31 (Hina) - The U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Monday sentenced Mladen Naletilic aka Tuta to 20 and Vinko Martinovic aka Stela to 18 years in prison for crimes committed in southern Bosnia's Mostar and
Jablanica areas in 1993.
THE HAGUE, March 31 (Hina) - The U.N. war crimes tribunal in The
Hague on Monday sentenced Mladen Naletilic aka Tuta to 20 and Vinko
Martinovic aka Stela to 18 years in prison for crimes committed in
southern Bosnia's Mostar and Jablanica areas in 1993. #L#
The two Bosnian Croats were found guilty on both direct and command
responsibility for crimes against humanity, violations of the laws
and customs of war and breaches of the Geneva Conventions committed
ten years ago against Muslim soldiers and civilians from the Mostar
area.
At that time Naletilic commanded the so-called Convicts' Battalion
and Martinovic the battalion's anti-terrorist unit.
Both looked stern when the sentence was read out.
The trial chamber accepted the prosecution's theses that an
international conflict took place on the territory of the self-
styled Croat Community of Herceg Bosna, where the crimes were
committed.
As in two previous cases, that of Blaskic and Kordic, there is
extensive evidence about the deployment of Croatian troops and
equipment in Herzegovina during the time covered in the indictment,
said the trial chamber. It stressed there was ample evidence,
presented in documents referred to as the Presidential
Transcripts, indicating that Croatia tried to conceal its direct
participation in the Bosnian conflict.
"This is the first Trial Chamber to rely on the contents of (a)
portion of the Presidential Transcripts which were immensely
helpful in highlighting unambiguous evidence of (former Croatian)
President (Franjo) Tudjman's deep involvement in the affairs of
Herzeg Bosna," the chamber said in its summary.
In an international conflict, the participants must respect the
Geneva Conventions on the protection of civilians and prisoners of
war. The trial chamber established that Naletilic had a key role in
the torture and inhumane treatment of POWs, members of the Army of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, civilians and their property.
Naletilic's conduct served as a model to his troops, which makes him
responsible for how his subordinates treated POWs and civilians,
said the trial chamber.
As regards Martinovic, the chamber said it had been established in
his case that he had commanded the "Vinko Skrobo" anti-terrorism
unit within the Convicts' Battalion. He was found guilty of illegal
activities, inflicting grave suffering, inhumane treatment, the
unlawful relocation of Mostar's civilians, as well as murder.
As aggravating circumstances, the trial chamber mentioned the
commanding offices the two held, as well as the fact that neither
had surrendered to the Hague tribunal voluntarily.
The trial chamber did not accept claims by Naletilic's defence that
he was in poor health as a mitigating circumstance.
Martinovic's attorney Branko Seric announced an appeal, while
Naletilic's lawyer Kresimir Krsnik declined to comment on the
judgement.
(hina) ha sb