ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Dec 5 (Hina) - The UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on Friday sentenced Bosnian Serb general Stanislav Galic to 20 years in prison for his role in the siege and shelling of Sarajevo from 1992 to
1995.
ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Dec 5 (Hina) - The UN war crimes tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia on Friday sentenced Bosnian Serb general
Stanislav Galic to 20 years in prison for his role in the siege and
shelling of Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995. #L#
Galic is the first person to be given a prison term by the Hague-
based tribunal for the 44-month siege of the Bosnian capital.
He was found guilty of crimes against humanity and violations of the
laws and customs of war, and judges said forces under his command
had deliberately targeted civilians in Sarajevo.
"General Galic, the Trial Chamber by majority hereby sentences you
to a single sentence of 20 years' imprisonment," Presiding Judge
Alphons Orie said.
"Hundreds of civilians were killed and thousands injured from
sniping and shelling incidents in the two-year period covered by
the indictment," he said. "No civilian of Sarajevo was safe
anywhere."
Judge Rafael Nieto-Navia said in a separate opinion that Galic
should have been given a sentence of ten years because the
prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Galic was
responsible for all the attacks on Sarajevo mentioned in the
indictment.
During the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Galic was
commander of the Bosnian Serb Army Sarajevo-Romanija Corps.
The prosecution demanded a life sentence, while the defence wanted
an acquittal.
(hina) vm