Hague blocks Šljivančanin from testifying

The Hague has informed the Belgrade District Court that former JNA officer Veselin Sljivancanin is not allowed to testify at the Ovcara war crimes trial. As stated at today’s hearing of the re-trial for that crime, the Hague Tribunal’s decision to temporarily release Sljivancanin precludes him from appearing in public, and thus precluding him from testifying. Hague blocks Sljivancanin from testifying Court President Vesko Krstajic explained, at the proposal of chief accused Miroljub Vujovic, that Sljivancanin was refusing to testify, but that it was clear he would be breaching the conditions of his temporary release set by the Hague Tribunal if he were to do so. The defense teams of the accused asked for Sljivancanin to appear as a witness, but his lawyer informed the court earlier in a written statement that Sljivancanin was on trial at the Hague Tribunal, and that it would not be wise for him to appear in public because it might harm his position. The Hague Tribunal sentenced Sljivancanin to five years imprisonment for war crimes at Ovcara farm, when, on the night of November 20 and 21, 1991, a group of 200 Croatian prisoners were shot dead. For the same crime, former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) officer Mile Mrksic was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, while former JNA officer Miroslav Radic was acquitted. Sljivancanin was accorded temporary release until the verdict came into force. Vujovic also proposed that the court call court expert Branimir Aleksandric as a witness when the trial continues, because, as the defendant stated, he was present “at the selection of the group of prisoners to be liquidated, as can be seen on RTS footage.” The retrial of those accused of the atrocities at Ovcar, near Vukovar, in November 1991 began in March last year after the Supreme Court quashed the Belgrade District Court’s original first-instance ruling. Territorial Defense Commander Miroljub Vujovic, his deputy Stanko Vujanovic, Leva Supodenica volunteer unit commander Milan Lancuzanin, and Territorial Defense members Predrag Milojevic, Predrag Dragovic, Djordje Sosic, Miroslav Djankovic, Ivan Atanasijevic and Sasa Radak were each sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment at the original trial. Vujo Zlatar, Milan Vojinovic and Jovica Peric were sentenced to 15 years, Predrag Madzarac to 12 years, Nada Kalaba, the only woman amongst the accused to 9 years, and Goran Mugosa to five years imprisonment. Marko Ljuboja and Slobodan Katic were acquitted.

Hague blocks Šljivančanin from testifying

Court President Vesko Krstajić explained, at the proposal of chief accused Miroljub Vujović, that Šljivančanin was refusing to testify, but that it was clear he would be breaching the conditions of his temporary release set by the Hague Tribunal if he were to do so.

The defense teams of the accused asked for Šljivančanin to appear as a witness, but his lawyer informed the court earlier in a written statement that Šljivančanin was on trial at the Hague Tribunal, and that it would not be wise for him to appear in public because it might harm his position.

The Hague Tribunal sentenced Šljivančanin to five years imprisonment for war crimes at Ovčara farm, when, on the night of November 20 and 21, 1991, a group of 200 Croatian prisoners were shot dead.

For the same crime, former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) officer Mile Mrkšić was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, while former JNA officer Miroslav Radić was acquitted.

Šljivančanin was accorded temporary release until the verdict came into force.

Vujović also proposed that the court call court expert Branimir Aleksandrić as a witness when the trial continues, because, as the defendant stated, he was present “at the selection of the group of prisoners to be liquidated, as can be seen on RTS footage.”

The retrial of those accused of the atrocities at Ovčar, near Vukovar, in November 1991 began in March last year after the Supreme Court quashed the Belgrade District Court’s original first-instance ruling.

Territorial Defense Commander Miroljub Vujović, his deputy Stanko Vujanović, Leva Supodenica volunteer unit commander Milan Lančužanin, and Territorial Defense members Predrag Milojević, Predrag Dragović, Đorđe Šošić, Miroslav Đanković, Ivan Atanasijević and Saša Radak were each sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment at the original trial.

Vujo Zlatar, Milan Vojinović and Jovica Perić were sentenced to 15 years, Predrag Madžarac to 12 years, Nada Kalaba, the only woman amongst the accused to 9 years, and Goran Mugoša to five years imprisonment.

Marko Ljuboja and Slobodan Katić were acquitted.