Parliament strips Glavaš of immunity

The new Croatian parliament stripped Branimir Glavas of immunity Saturday so he could be prosecuted again for war crimes. Branimir Glavas, who is charged with wartime atrocities against Serb civilians, had been on trial for war crimes because a previous Croatian parliament had lifted his parliamentary immunity. Parliament strips Glavas of immunity However, his trial was suspended and he was freed from jail Friday when a court ruled that he had automatically regained immunity with the formation of the new parliament — to which he was re-elected. Saturday's action by the new parliament, again stripping Glavas of immunity, means the trial can proceed once more. Glavas, formerly a prominent member of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, had been in detention since 2006, when the previous parliament lifted his immunity so he could be prosecuted. He had been on trial since October for allegedly forming a paramilitary unit during the 1991 Serbo-Croat war and ordering the torture and killings of at least two Serb civilians. His case attracted huge media attention in Croatia because a hunger strike he launched 66 days ago to protest the detention reportedly endangered his life. That put pressure on Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's government, with Glavas' supporters charging he would be responsible for Glavas' possible death. After his release, Glavas was hospitalized in his hometown in Osijek. Glavas insists he was innocent and accuses Sanader's party of fabricating charges against him. He is the highest Croatian official to be prosecuted for war crimes. Since being expelled from the ruling party three years ago, Glavas has led a small party from eastern Croatia.

Parliament strips Glavaš of immunity

However, his trial was suspended and he was freed from jail Friday when a court ruled that he had automatically regained immunity with the formation of the new parliament — to which he was re-elected.

Saturday's action by the new parliament, again stripping Glavaš of immunity, means the trial can proceed once more.

Glavaš, formerly a prominent member of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, had been in detention since 2006, when the previous parliament lifted his immunity so he could be prosecuted.

He had been on trial since October for allegedly forming a paramilitary unit during the 1991 Serbo-Croat war and ordering the torture and killings of at least two Serb civilians.

His case attracted huge media attention in Croatia because a hunger strike he launched 66 days ago to protest the detention reportedly endangered his life. That put pressure on Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's government, with Glavaš' supporters charging he would be responsible for Glavaš' possible death.

After his release, Glavaš was hospitalized in his hometown in Osijek.

Glavaš insists he was innocent and accuses Sanader's party of fabricating charges against him. He is the highest Croatian official to be prosecuted for war crimes.

Since being expelled from the ruling party three years ago, Glavaš has led a small party from eastern Croatia.