Retired police general sentenced to 27 years

The Hague Tribunal has sentenced retired Serbian police General Vlastimir Djordjevic to 27 years in prison. He was found guilty of war crimes against Kosovo Albanians in 1999. Retired police general sentenced to 27 years The crimes were qualified as crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war. The retired general was found guilty on all counts of the indictment – forcible transfer, deportation, murder and persecution of Albanians from Kosovo during the first six months of 1999 when he was Public Security Department head and assistant interior minister. The court has determined that Djordjevic was responsible for persecution of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo Albanians, murder and transfer of bodies of at least 724 Albanian civilians to mass grave sites in Batajnica, Petrovo Selo near Kladovo and the Perucac Lake near Bajina Basta. The Hague Tribunal has determined that then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic ordered him to hide the bodies in order to conceal the evidence. According to the verdict, the crimes were committed as a part of a joint criminal enterprise whose goal was to permanently and violently remove the Albanian population from Kosovo in order to change the ethnic balance and ensure permanent Serbian control in the province. Judge Kevin Parker explained that some of the participants in the joint criminal enterprise had been Milosevic, Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Serbian Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic. Serbian forces, including police, Yugoslav Army, volunteer and paramilitary units, subjected the Albanian population to “systematic and widespread attacks, terror and violence”, including persecution, killings, destruction of towns and robberies. According to the verdict, Djordjevic had an effective control over police forces in Kosovo and was aware of their crimes. The prosecution requested 35 years in prison or a life sentence for the retired general. Defense attorneys, on the other hand, requested the court to acquit Djordjevic. The trial started on January 27, 2009. The prosecution finished presenting its case by October 28, 2009, while the defense rested on May 20, 2010. The prosecution and the defense presented their closing arguments in July 2010. Djordjevic was arrested on June 17, 2007 in Budva, Montenegro, where he was hiding under a false name and was then extradited to the Hague Tribunal. He pleaded not guilty to all charges when he first appeared before the court. The same indictment was raised against Sainovic, General Nebojsa Pavkovic and police General Sreten Lukic who were sentenced to 22 years in prison in February 2009. Former Yugoslav Army Chief of the General Staff Dragoljub Ojdanic and Pristina Corps Commander Vladimir Lazarevic were then sentenced to 15 years in prison for aiding and abetting the crimes against Kosovo Albanians. All of them appealed against the verdict and the appeal process is still underway. Milan Milutinovic, who was a Serbian president in 1999, was acquitted of war crimes against Albanians by the Hague Tribunal. General Vlastimir Djordjevic

Retired police general sentenced to 27 years

The crimes were qualified as crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war.

The retired general was found guilty on all counts of the indictment – forcible transfer, deportation, murder and persecution of Albanians from Kosovo during the first six months of 1999 when he was Public Security Department head and assistant interior minister.

The court has determined that Đorđević was responsible for persecution of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo Albanians, murder and transfer of bodies of at least 724 Albanian civilians to mass grave sites in Batajnica, Petrovo Selo near Kladovo and the Perućac Lake near Bajina Bašta.

The Hague Tribunal has determined that then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević ordered him to hide the bodies in order to conceal the evidence.

According to the verdict, the crimes were committed as a part of a joint criminal enterprise whose goal was to permanently and violently remove the Albanian population from Kosovo in order to change the ethnic balance and ensure permanent Serbian control in the province.

Judge Kevin Parker explained that some of the participants in the joint criminal enterprise had been Milošević, Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Šainović and Serbian Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljković.

Serbian forces, including police, Yugoslav Army, volunteer and paramilitary units, subjected the Albanian population to “systematic and widespread attacks, terror and violence”, including persecution, killings, destruction of towns and robberies.

According to the verdict, Đorđević had an effective control over police forces in Kosovo and was aware of their crimes.

The prosecution requested 35 years in prison or a life sentence for the retired general.

Defense attorneys, on the other hand, requested the court to acquit Đorđević.

The trial started on January 27, 2009. The prosecution finished presenting its case by October 28, 2009, while the defense rested on May 20, 2010.

The prosecution and the defense presented their closing arguments in July 2010.

Đorđević was arrested on June 17, 2007 in Budva, Montenegro, where he was hiding under a false name and was then extradited to the Hague Tribunal.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges when he first appeared before the court.

The same indictment was raised against Šainović, General Nebojša Pavković and police General Sreten Lukić who were sentenced to 22 years in prison in February 2009.

Former Yugoslav Army Chief of the General Staff Dragoljub Ojdanić and Priština Corps Commander Vladimir Lazarević were then sentenced to 15 years in prison for aiding and abetting the crimes against Kosovo Albanians.

All of them appealed against the verdict and the appeal process is still underway.

Milan Milutinović, who was a Serbian president in 1999, was acquitted of war crimes against Albanians by the Hague Tribunal.