Croatian war crimes suspect pleads not guilty
Croat wartime Assistant Interior Minister and former adviser to the Interior Ministry Tomislav Merčep pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial in Zagreb.
Friday, 10.02.2012.
15:46
Croat wartime Assistant Interior Minister and former adviser to the Interior Ministry Tomislav Mercep pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial in Zagreb. Merces stands accused of murder and torture of 52 Serbs, 43 of whom were murdered, while three are listed as missing. Croatian war crimes suspect pleads not guilty The crimes were committed in the areas of Zagreb, Kutin and Pakrac from June to December 1991. The Zagreb Municipal Prosecutor's Office charged Mercep with command responsibility and failure to do anything to prevent the crimes committed by members of his police unit as well as of personally issuing of orders to commit crimes. The Prosecutor's Office has proposed hearing of 32 witnesses, including those who survived torturing in the Pakrac Valley. On the other hand, Mercep's lawyer Marko Ujevic requested hearing of about 15 witnesses including politicians and wartime commanders. Prior to the reading of the indictment, physician Vesna Seric said that she had not changed her opinion on Mercep's health issued on December 14 and that he was capable of participating in debates in spite of his high blood pressure and the stroke he had suffered. Due to bad health condition, the defendant was hospitalized immediately after the arrest in 2010, while the indictment was raised in June 2011 when he was in a spa. According to the indictment, the members of Mercep's unit illegally arrested 52 persons in the territory of Zagreb, Kutin and Pakrac, 43 of whom were killed, three are still listed as missing, and six survived the torturing. Although five of Mercep's officers pleaded guilty, they have never faced criminal responsibility due to a procedural mistake i.e. hearing without lawyers. The indictment does not mention crimes in Vukovar i.e. arrests and assassinations of several dozens Serb civilians in summer of 1991. Tomislav Mercep is seen in the courtroom (Beta) Tanjug
Croatian war crimes suspect pleads not guilty
The crimes were committed in the areas of Zagreb, Kutin and Pakrac from June to December 1991.The Zagreb Municipal Prosecutor's Office charged Merčep with command responsibility and failure to do anything to prevent the crimes committed by members of his police unit as well as of personally issuing of orders to commit crimes.
The Prosecutor's Office has proposed hearing of 32 witnesses, including those who survived torturing in the Pakrac Valley.
On the other hand, Merčep's lawyer Marko Ujević requested hearing of about 15 witnesses including politicians and wartime commanders.
Prior to the reading of the indictment, physician Vesna Šerić said that she had not changed her opinion on Merčep's health issued on December 14 and that he was capable of participating in debates in spite of his high blood pressure and the stroke he had suffered.
Due to bad health condition, the defendant was hospitalized immediately after the arrest in 2010, while the indictment was raised in June 2011 when he was in a spa.
According to the indictment, the members of Merčep's unit illegally arrested 52 persons in the territory of Zagreb, Kutin and Pakrac, 43 of whom were killed, three are still listed as missing, and six survived the torturing.
Although five of Merčep's officers pleaded guilty, they have never faced criminal responsibility due to a procedural mistake i.e. hearing without lawyers.
The indictment does not mention crimes in Vukovar i.e. arrests and assassinations of several dozens Serb civilians in summer of 1991.
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