Ex-DB chief, his deputy, to return to Hague

The Hague Tribunal has ordered former head of the Serbian State Security (DB) Jovica Stanišić and his deputy Franko Simatović to return to detention.

Izvor: Beta

Monday, 04.05.2009.

12:33

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The Hague Tribunal has ordered former head of the Serbian State Security (DB) Jovica Stanisic and his deputy Franko Simatovic to return to detention. The war crimes trial against the pair should resume on May 25. Ex-DB chief, his deputy, to return to Hague The Serbian government was ordered the appoint appropriate officials, including medical staff should they be required, who would accompany and hand over the two indictees, the tribunal said in a statement. Stanisic and Simatovic, who are accused of crimes committed against Croats and Muslims in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the period between 1991 and 1995, have been on temporary release since June last year. The trial against them started in April 2008, and Stanisic, due to his poor health – "problems with digestion and depression" – was not able to take part in the proceedings. Former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) officer Veselin Sljivancanin has also returned to the Hague Tribunal. There, he will on Tuesday hear the final verdict on the war crimes indictment against him. He and two other JNA officers were accused of crimes committed against Croatian prisoners in Ovcara, near Vukovar, in November 1991. First accused Mile Mrksic was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in jail, while Miroslav Radic was acquitted. The first degree verdict handed down in September 2007 declared Sljivancanin guilty and sentenced him to five years in prison. During the appeals process at the end of January, defense lawyers for Mrksic and Sljivancanin called for their acquittal, while the prosecution wanted more severe punishment, asking the judges to change Sljivancanin's sentence to 30 years.

Ex-DB chief, his deputy, to return to Hague

The Serbian government was ordered the appoint appropriate officials, including medical staff should they be required, who would accompany and hand over the two indictees, the tribunal said in a statement.

Stanišić and Simatović, who are accused of crimes committed against Croats and Muslims in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the period between 1991 and 1995, have been on temporary release since June last year.

The trial against them started in April 2008, and Stanišić, due to his poor health – "problems with digestion and depression" – was not able to take part in the proceedings.

Former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) officer Veselin Šljivančanin has also returned to the Hague Tribunal. There, he will on Tuesday hear the final verdict on the war crimes indictment against him.

He and two other JNA officers were accused of crimes committed against Croatian prisoners in Ovčara, near Vukovar, in November 1991.

First accused Mile Mrkšić was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in jail, while Miroslav Radić was acquitted.

The first degree verdict handed down in September 2007 declared Šljivančanin guilty and sentenced him to five years in prison.

During the appeals process at the end of January, defense lawyers for Mrkšić and Šljivančanin called for their acquittal, while the prosecution wanted more severe punishment, asking the judges to change Šljivančanin's sentence to 30 years.

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