Fugitive war criminal "to return to Croatia"

Convicted war criminal Branimir Glavas, who is currently a fugitive in Bosnia-Herzegovina, intends on returning to Croatia, according to his lawyer. Attorney Veljko Miljevic said that Glavas expressed his wishes to return to Croatia even before the meeting of the Supreme Court was held regarding his appeal a month ago. Fugitive war criminal "to return to Croatia" Miljevic was commenting on the media speculation that Glavas wanted to return to Croatia so he would not have to serve his sentence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Zagreb District Court found Glavas guilty of war crimes last year and sentenced him to ten years in prison for crimes committed against Serb civilians in Croatia. The other five co-dependents received sentences of in between five and eight years. Before the conviction could be confirmed, Glavas fled to Bosnia, where he also has citizenship, which makes extradition to Croatia impossible. He called the trial a political process and accused the then ruling party of Ivo Sanader, HDZ, of "being behind the case", said reports. The debate before the Croatian Supreme Court regarding the appeals submitted both by the defense and prosecution ended in early June. The prosecution asked for more severe sentences for the convicts, while Glavas and his co-defendants demanded for the charges to be dropped. The verdict states that Glavas in 1991 ordered the arrest, torture and murder of seven Serb civilians. They were killed and thrown into the Drava River with their hands tied and mouths covered with tape. Glavas was also convicted of the torture and murder of Cedomir Vuckovic and the torture of Djordje Petrovic in the garage of the Osijek Secretariat for National Defense, which he headed in 1991. Co-defendant Ivica Krnjak received an eight-year sentence, while Gordana Getos Magdic received seven, and Dino Kontic, Tihomir Valentic and Zdravko Dragic were each sent to jail for five years. Glavas was the first Croatian politician convicted of war crimes. During his stay in Bosnia, Glavas addressed the Croatian public and his supporters several times via messages and videos.

Fugitive war criminal "to return to Croatia"

Miljević was commenting on the media speculation that Glavaš wanted to return to Croatia so he would not have to serve his sentence in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Zagreb District Court found Glavaš guilty of war crimes last year and sentenced him to ten years in prison for crimes committed against Serb civilians in Croatia.

The other five co-dependents received sentences of in between five and eight years.

Before the conviction could be confirmed, Glavaš fled to Bosnia, where he also has citizenship, which makes extradition to Croatia impossible.

He called the trial a political process and accused the then ruling party of Ivo Sanader, HDZ, of "being behind the case", said reports.

The debate before the Croatian Supreme Court regarding the appeals submitted both by the defense and prosecution ended in early June.

The prosecution asked for more severe sentences for the convicts, while Glavaš and his co-defendants demanded for the charges to be dropped.

The verdict states that Glavaš in 1991 ordered the arrest, torture and murder of seven Serb civilians. They were killed and thrown into the Drava River with their hands tied and mouths covered with tape.

Glavaš was also convicted of the torture and murder of Čedomir Vučković and the torture of Đorđe Petrović in the garage of the Osijek Secretariat for National Defense, which he headed in 1991.

Co-defendant Ivica Krnjak received an eight-year sentence, while Gordana Getoš Magdić received seven, and Dino Kontić, Tihomir Valentić and Zdravko Dragić were each sent to jail for five years.

Glavaš was the first Croatian politician convicted of war crimes.

During his stay in Bosnia, Glavaš addressed the Croatian public and his supporters several times via messages and videos.