HEARING IN TRIAL OF ZLATKO ALEKSOVSKI STARTS IN HAGUE

( Editorial: --> 2573 ) THE HAGUE, 6 Jan (Hina) - The main hearing in the trial of Zlatko Aleksovski before the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) started on Tuesday in The Hague. The hearing started with an introductory speech by ICTY prosecutor Grant Niemann. Aleksovski is charged with severe violations of the Geneva Conventions and the customs and law of war, as well as with illegal treatment of Muslim prisoners in the Kaonik prison near Busovaca, central Bosnia. Aleksovski was the head of the Kaonik prison between January and May 1993. We will prove that Zlatko Aleksovski knew of but did not do anything to prevent the violations and punish the perpetrators and that he himself was involved in some cases of maltreatment, said Niemann. Aleksovski is one of the indicted from an indictment which also includes Dario Kordic and Mario Cerkez. The indictment was issued on 10 November 1995. (hina) rm 061221 MET jan 98