ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Defence attorneys for Tihomir Blaskic on Monday submitted an urgent request for an independent medical examination of the former commander of the Central Bosnia Operative Zone, whose health has not improved
despite a year of treatment.
ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Defence attorneys for Tihomir Blaskic on Monday
submitted an urgent request for an independent medical examination of
the former commander of the Central Bosnia Operative Zone, whose
health has not improved despite a year of treatment.#L#
The request is of a confidential nature, Blaskic's attorney Anto
Nobilo said, adding that the defence requested the UN war crimes
tribunal in The Hague to form an independent medical team to examine
Blaskic after it had received an independent opinion of a renowned
Zagreb doctor, Ranko Ostojic, regarding Blaskic's treatment and the
need for additional examinations.
The defence team has informed the Croatian government about Blaskic's
inadequate treatment so that Croatia, in line with its consular
authorities arising from the Vienna Convention, can take the necessary
measures to provide adequate medical care for its citizen who is
imprisoned abroad, Nobilo said.
Blaskic has been in the custody of the UN tribunal for almost eight
years and his health problems started a year ago in the form of
bleeding from gastrointestinal tract, which resulted in anemia and a
feeling of general weakness.
The defence also requested an urgent status conference to consider
Blaskic's condition.
Blaskic was sentenced to 45 years in prison pending appeal. He was
found guilty on command responsibility of war crimes committed against
the Muslim population in Central Bosnia during the war in Bosnia.
(Hina) rml sb