THE HAGUE, Nov 9 (Hina) - The prosecution of The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on Tuesday demanded sentences ranging from eight to 30 years for six Bosnian Croats tried in the "Kupreskic and
Others" case for crimes against humanity and violations of the law and customs of war committed during the Croat-Muslim conflict in Bosnia in 1993. Prosecutor Frank Terrier urged the trial chamber to convict Zoran, Mirjan, and Vlatko Kupreskic, Drago Josipovic, Dragan Papic, and Vladimir Santic on all counts of a joint indictment which charges them with participation in the persecution of Muslims in the area of Ahmici, and the massacre in that central Bosnian village in which more than 100 Muslims were killed on 16 April 1993. The six Bosnian Croats committed the crimes following the same ideology as the Ustashi 50 years ago, Terrier said in his closing arguments. The
THE HAGUE, Nov 9 (Hina) - The prosecution of The Hague-based
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on
Tuesday demanded sentences ranging from eight to 30 years for six
Bosnian Croats tried in the "Kupreskic and Others" case for crimes
against humanity and violations of the law and customs of war
committed during the Croat-Muslim conflict in Bosnia in 1993.
Prosecutor Frank Terrier urged the trial chamber to convict Zoran,
Mirjan, and Vlatko Kupreskic, Drago Josipovic, Dragan Papic, and
Vladimir Santic on all counts of a joint indictment which charges
them with participation in the persecution of Muslims in the area of
Ahmici, and the massacre in that central Bosnian village in which
more than 100 Muslims were killed on 16 April 1993.
The six Bosnian Croats committed the crimes following the same
ideology as the Ustashi 50 years ago, Terrier said in his closing
arguments.
The culprits for the Ustashi crimes were not tried, he said, telling
the trial chamber The Hague Tribunal existed to the effect of
preventing such crimes.
Terrier demanded the maximum sentence of 30 years for Vladimir
Santic. According to the prosecution, he is criminally the most
accountable party because without his order as the commander of the
fourth military police troop, the Ahmici massacre would not have
occurred, Terrier said.
As a former policeman, Santic was aware of the criminal nature of
his actions, he asserted.
Terrier demanded the minimum sentence of eight years for Dragan
Papic due to the fanaticism of his engagement in the persecution of
Muslims.
The six accused, and the members of their families, calmly listened
to the prosecution's closing arguments.
Also indicative of their character, according to the prosecution,
was the fact that they evacuated their families the day before the
Ahmici massacre, while failing to warn their Muslim neighbours of
the impending danger.
He reiterated The Hague Tribunal's prosecution's position that the
Ahmici massacre was a well organised attack by the Croatian Defence
Council (HVO) and part of a wider Croatian political strategy of
ethnic cleansing in central Bosnia.
Over the next two days, the defence will present their closing
arguments.
The six Bosnian Croats are charged with assisting in the
organisation of a HVO attack in April 1993 in the Ahmici area, and
with taking part in the persecution and ethnic cleansing of Muslims
and the destruction of their property in the area.
Individually, Zoran and Mirjan Kupreskic are charged with the
murder of Naser Ahmic's four-member family and the maltreatment of
Sakib Ahmic, Vlatko Kupreskic with participation in the murder of
Fata Pezer and the wounding of Dzenana Pezer, and Drago Josipovic
and Vladimir Santic with the murder of Musafer Puscul and setting
fire to his house.
(hina) ha mm