ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Dec 10 (Hina) - Human rights activists Jerry Laber on Tuesday took the witness stand in the Croatian part of the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic held before the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Dec 10 (Hina) - Human rights activists Jerry
Laber on Tuesday took the witness stand in the Croatian part of the
trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic held before
the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY). #L#
Laber, one of the founders of the international humanitarian
association "Helsinki Watch", said the organisation had warned the
authorities in Belgrade about concrete violations of human rights
in Croatia and Kosovo, and supported her claims with documents.
She said her organisation made several reports in early 1990s
regarding the violation of human rights in former Yugoslavia which
she forwarded to top JNA officials, Yugoslav and Serb authorities,
including Milosevic.
Hague-based tribunal prosecutors must prove, among other things,
that Milosevic had been warned about human rights violations, as
well as his constitutional obligation (as the then Serbian
president) to ensure the functioning of the rule of law, namely
prevent further violations and punish perpetrators.
Laber said the US branch of the "Helsinki Watch" sent a letter to
Milosevic in January 1992 warning him about concrete crimes Serb
paramilitary forces had committed in Croatia (Vukovar, Skabrnja,
Vocin).
The witness said that her association had marked in detail numerous
violations committed by Serb forces and the JNA in Croatia in early
1990s. She said that "Helsinki Watch" had also on several occasions
warned the then JNA chief-of-staff, Blagoje Adzic, about the
violations, including cases of the execution of Croatian soldiers
in Vojvodina. She said Adzic had been requested to conduct than
investigation into the matter and punish perpetrators.
The witness said the association had also warned the then Croatian
President, Franjo Tudjman, about crimes committed against Serbs in
the Croatian region between Pakrac and Karlovac and demanded of
Tudjman to undertake measures.
She said that during her visits to Belgrade she discussed the
situation with "a certain Kostunica", and Milosevic explained that
she referred to the incumbent Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica who was then in the Opposition.
During the cross-examination, Milosevic told the witness that he
considered her and her organisation illegal. He also tried to deny
the capability of human rights activists to collect the statements
of victims and witnesses.
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