MOSTAR, April 30 (Hina) - The cantonal court in the southern Bosnian town of Mostar on Monday acquitted five Bosniaks from Mostar who had been charged with war crimes against Bosnian Croat prisoners of war during the 1993 Croat-Muslim
conflict. The United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague had okayed the prosecution of Zikrija Ljeva, Vernes Zahirovic, Becir Omanovic, Habib Copelj and Husnija Orucevic, all members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who had been charged with the killing of two members of the second Siroki Brijeg battalion and the physical abuse of their imprisoned colleagues. Explaining the ruling, the president of a five-man panel of judges, Reuf Zaimovic, said it had not been proved that the defendants had committed the crime. He said the case should not be closed and that the real culprits must be found. The acquittal may be appealed with the Supreme Court of the Bosnian Fed
MOSTAR, April 30 (Hina) - The cantonal court in the southern Bosnian
town of Mostar on Monday acquitted five Bosniaks from Mostar who had
been charged with war crimes against Bosnian Croat prisoners of war
during the 1993 Croat-Muslim conflict.
The United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague had okayed the
prosecution of Zikrija Ljeva, Vernes Zahirovic, Becir Omanovic,
Habib Copelj and Husnija Orucevic, all members of the Army of Bosnia
and Herzegovina, who had been charged with the killing of two
members of the second Siroki Brijeg battalion and the physical
abuse of their imprisoned colleagues.
Explaining the ruling, the president of a five-man panel of judges,
Reuf Zaimovic, said it had not been proved that the defendants had
committed the crime.
He said the case should not be closed and that the real culprits must
be found.
The acquittal may be appealed with the Supreme Court of the Bosnian
Federation within a fortnight.
(hina) ha