ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Supreme Court on Friday confirmed the decision of the Zagreb County Court in favour of extraditing Mladen Naletilic Tuta to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY).
ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Supreme Court on Friday
confirmed the decision of the Zagreb County Court in favour of
extraditing Mladen Naletilic Tuta to the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). #L#
At Friday's session the Supreme Court dismissed as unfounded the
appeal by defendant Naletilic against the extradition decision, as
all conditions for his transfer to The Hague have been met, and has
allowed his extradition to the Tribunal, the Zagreb County Court
said in a statement.
The Supreme Court had begun deliberating on Naletilic's appeal two
days ago, but postponed it to give the State Attorney's Office time
to take a position on a request by Naletilic's attorney Kresimir
Krsnik to have the state attorney and one his deputies exempted from
proceedings, due to suspicion in their impartiality.
Krsnik's request was rejected by the State Attorney and a board of
his deputies, and their decision was read out at the beginning of
today's session by the president of the five-member Council, Ana
Garacic.
Present at the Supreme Court session on Friday was also Naletilic's
defence attorney, Kresimir Krsnik.
Pursuant to the dismissal of Naletilic's appeal, the Zagreb County
Court decision has become valid and final, the County Court said.
Naletilic can appeal the decision before the Croatian
Constitutional Court, the statement, signed by president Miroslav
Sumanovic, said.
The statement added that the enforceable decision allowing
Naletilic's extradition was to be submitted to the Croatian Justice
Ministry, which, in turn, will forward it to the ICTY.
According to the Constitutional Law's provision on cooperation
with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the minister
of justice may temporarily delay extradition in case of
extraordinary circumstances and illness.
Naletilic was yesterday hospitalised due to heart trouble.
The ICTY issued an indictment against Naletilic in December 1998,
charging him with crimes against humanity committed in Bosnia-
Herzegovina between April 1993 and January 1994, during his command
of the so-called "convicts' battalion".
Naletilic has also been charged with grave breaches of the Geneva
Conventions and the violation of the laws and customs of war. On
December 21, the Hague Tribunal sent the Croatian Government an
arrest warrant and an extradition request for Naletilic.
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