Jurišić gets 12 years for Tuzla crime

Why did this creep not get life? 51 retreating soldiers will killed because of his orders. Is this how the Croatians and Muslims fight?

12 years you must be joking. it should have been life for that crime

I was in Tuzla in 1992 during this particular incident and like most people in Tuzla I come from mixed Serb, Croat, Muslim ancestry. As the war began JNA sided with the goverment in Serbia - so who was to beieve them that the retereat was going to be peaceful - especially since there were already reports of massacre over Muslim and Croat population along the eastern border. I am not saying that what Ilija did is justified by the mere fact that JNA could not be trusted - but I think that his sentence is a harsh when compared to the fact that former leader of Bosninan Serbs Biljana Plavsic who was sentenced to only 11 years (most famous video of her is probably the one from Bjeljina - where she congratulated Arkan after the massacre and with a smile stepped across a dead body of a Muslim man in the street)

Maybe I am wrong, but "Ilija Jurišić" sounds either Croatian or Serb, he is probably not "Muslim". An interesting twist probably proving, that war crime was often not along ethnic lines, rather the (lack of) morale.

In any case, I am (unpleasantly) surprised at the very mild verdict. In particular, that he seem to be the main perpetrator and organizer.

If hooligans can get 8 years, this is a wrong message.

12 years? Each life was worth 4 months! Gosh you can get more time for shooting a dog.

Serbia is a VERY generous country!

"51 retreating soldiers will killed because of his orders"

What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?

"Maybe I am wrong, but "Ilija Jurišić" sounds either Croatian or Serb"

Some news reports identify him as a Bosnian Croat. There were a lot of Croats in Tuzla in the army in the beginning. The most famous/infamous was Drazen Erdemovic who fought with all three sides (he claimed). He was one of the Hague's "star witness" for the Srebrenica trial, but he perjured himself on several points. (The Hague keeps quiet about that.)

"What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?
(artA, 28 September 2009 19:26)"

Who knows artA but it is totally irrelevant and very (typically) petty to write that message on the back of this story. Why can't you Albanian's get it in to your skulls that war crimes were committed by all sides, including your beloved KLA.

What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?
(artA, 28 September 2009 19:26)

So following Arta's "logic," one may ask what those Bytyqi brothers were doing before they were arrested?

It seems that the sentencing guidelines are very light in general for Serbia. Judging on this sentence, or the ones from Suva Reka, Podujevo, etc.
(Jason, 28 September 2009 16:27)

During the "old regime" cases like Bytyqi, Tuzla Column, etc. would result in capital punishment as well as some other few.

The cases with no intentional murder or violent sexual act, however, led to much lighter sentencing than in the "West".

Now the limbo is lower for every case. In some sense it is maybe "logical", because the court is consequent in their decision. If conspiring to kill three (essentially harmless bozo) Albanians means being set free, than order to kill several dozens unarmed Serbian JNA-s should be no more, than 12 years. Under "old" circumstances both would mean 3 meter of rope and no "years". I disagree with the "rope" - but both cases ask for good 25 years, without parole + confiscation of property.

An other reason could be, judges are afraid to sentence hard because they fear some organized "clans" from either side.

Ataman,

It seems that the sentencing guidelines are very light in general for Serbia. Judging on this sentence, or the ones from Suva Reka, Podujevo, etc. Is this the case with old Yugoslavian or is it something created by post-Yugo Serbia?

RE: JNA

The JNA during that time period was comprised of all Yugoslav nationalities, so the ambushing of them by this so called Bosnian Freedom fighter is an outrage. He should have been shot let alone getting 12 yrs in jail.

The same goes for the Slovenian rebels who ambushed the JNA while securing the borders. The JNA were ordered not to fire back and lost their lives. (These were young inexperience conscripts not even 18 yrs of age in some cases)

So following Arta's "logic," one may ask what those Bytyqi brothers were doing before they were arrested?
(Jason, 29 September 2009 07:37)

The list of deeds is long, potentially most dangerous deed was to make pizzas. Others were: erratic behavior, smuggling a Serbian Gypsy family from Prizren to Kraljevo, beating their chest to be in UCK (gorillas, too beat their chest in frustration).

On the other hand the JNA boys with near 100% probability ate some (much worse) quality pizzas while doing nothing in the army and probably did not smuggle some Gypsies to Kraljevo (probably only because Kraljevo is far away and they were assigned to a Tuzla unit).

Again, both cases - and now the French case - ask for 10 feet of rope, but "for the rest of us" (who does not support death penalty) 25 years + confiscation of property is satisfactory.

On the other hand, 10 feet of rope is cheaper, can be re-used and no danger of the criminal returning back to the society. But 25 years + confiscation is more painful. The death of the victims was either violent with burning to death or they were tortured or horribly beaten (like the poor French guy). A rope is not justified because as we know it's like 1-2-3 and finished. Burning in electric chair is not an option in Europe, so let's settle on 25 years...

"51 retreating soldiers will killed because of his orders"

What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?

I was in Tuzla in 1992 during this particular incident and like most people in Tuzla I come from mixed Serb, Croat, Muslim ancestry. As the war began JNA sided with the goverment in Serbia - so who was to beieve them that the retereat was going to be peaceful - especially since there were already reports of massacre over Muslim and Croat population along the eastern border. I am not saying that what Ilija did is justified by the mere fact that JNA could not be trusted - but I think that his sentence is a harsh when compared to the fact that former leader of Bosninan Serbs Biljana Plavsic who was sentenced to only 11 years (most famous video of her is probably the one from Bjeljina - where she congratulated Arkan after the massacre and with a smile stepped across a dead body of a Muslim man in the street)

12 years you must be joking. it should have been life for that crime

Why did this creep not get life? 51 retreating soldiers will killed because of his orders. Is this how the Croatians and Muslims fight?

Maybe I am wrong, but "Ilija Jurišić" sounds either Croatian or Serb, he is probably not "Muslim". An interesting twist probably proving, that war crime was often not along ethnic lines, rather the (lack of) morale.

In any case, I am (unpleasantly) surprised at the very mild verdict. In particular, that he seem to be the main perpetrator and organizer.

If hooligans can get 8 years, this is a wrong message.

Ataman,

It seems that the sentencing guidelines are very light in general for Serbia. Judging on this sentence, or the ones from Suva Reka, Podujevo, etc. Is this the case with old Yugoslavian or is it something created by post-Yugo Serbia?

It seems that the sentencing guidelines are very light in general for Serbia. Judging on this sentence, or the ones from Suva Reka, Podujevo, etc.
(Jason, 28 September 2009 16:27)

During the "old regime" cases like Bytyqi, Tuzla Column, etc. would result in capital punishment as well as some other few.

The cases with no intentional murder or violent sexual act, however, led to much lighter sentencing than in the "West".

Now the limbo is lower for every case. In some sense it is maybe "logical", because the court is consequent in their decision. If conspiring to kill three (essentially harmless bozo) Albanians means being set free, than order to kill several dozens unarmed Serbian JNA-s should be no more, than 12 years. Under "old" circumstances both would mean 3 meter of rope and no "years". I disagree with the "rope" - but both cases ask for good 25 years, without parole + confiscation of property.

An other reason could be, judges are afraid to sentence hard because they fear some organized "clans" from either side.

12 years? Each life was worth 4 months! Gosh you can get more time for shooting a dog.

Serbia is a VERY generous country!

"Maybe I am wrong, but "Ilija Jurišić" sounds either Croatian or Serb"

Some news reports identify him as a Bosnian Croat. There were a lot of Croats in Tuzla in the army in the beginning. The most famous/infamous was Drazen Erdemovic who fought with all three sides (he claimed). He was one of the Hague's "star witness" for the Srebrenica trial, but he perjured himself on several points. (The Hague keeps quiet about that.)

So following Arta's "logic," one may ask what those Bytyqi brothers were doing before they were arrested?
(Jason, 29 September 2009 07:37)

The list of deeds is long, potentially most dangerous deed was to make pizzas. Others were: erratic behavior, smuggling a Serbian Gypsy family from Prizren to Kraljevo, beating their chest to be in UCK (gorillas, too beat their chest in frustration).

On the other hand the JNA boys with near 100% probability ate some (much worse) quality pizzas while doing nothing in the army and probably did not smuggle some Gypsies to Kraljevo (probably only because Kraljevo is far away and they were assigned to a Tuzla unit).

Again, both cases - and now the French case - ask for 10 feet of rope, but "for the rest of us" (who does not support death penalty) 25 years + confiscation of property is satisfactory.

On the other hand, 10 feet of rope is cheaper, can be re-used and no danger of the criminal returning back to the society. But 25 years + confiscation is more painful. The death of the victims was either violent with burning to death or they were tortured or horribly beaten (like the poor French guy). A rope is not justified because as we know it's like 1-2-3 and finished. Burning in electric chair is not an option in Europe, so let's settle on 25 years...

RE: JNA

The JNA during that time period was comprised of all Yugoslav nationalities, so the ambushing of them by this so called Bosnian Freedom fighter is an outrage. He should have been shot let alone getting 12 yrs in jail.

The same goes for the Slovenian rebels who ambushed the JNA while securing the borders. The JNA were ordered not to fire back and lost their lives. (These were young inexperience conscripts not even 18 yrs of age in some cases)

"What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?
(artA, 28 September 2009 19:26)"

Who knows artA but it is totally irrelevant and very (typically) petty to write that message on the back of this story. Why can't you Albanian's get it in to your skulls that war crimes were committed by all sides, including your beloved KLA.

What did those soldiers do before "retreating" ?
(artA, 28 September 2009 19:26)

So following Arta's "logic," one may ask what those Bytyqi brothers were doing before they were arrested?