Ex-Bosnian Croat leader sentenced to 25 years in jail for war crimes May 29, 2013 - 16:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Former Bosnian Croat leader Jadranko Prlic was sentenced to 25 years in jail on Wednesday, May 29 for "ethnic cleansing" that included the murder, rape and expulsion of Muslims from Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Reuters reported. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague also sentenced five others, including Slobodan Praljak, Croatia's former assistant minister of defense, to jail terms of between 10 and 20 years. The judges said Croatia, which on July 1 will become the second former Yugoslav republic to join the European Union, had been involved in the plan, and that late President Franjo Tudjman believed ethnic cleansing was necessary to create an ethnically pure state that could be joined up to Croatia. Reading from a summary of a judgment that ran to more than 2,600 pages, presiding judge Jean-Claude Antonetti said murders, rapes and deportations had been committed by the armed forces of the self-proclaimed ethnic Croat state of Herceg-Bosna. "The crimes were not the random acts of a few unruly soldiers," he said. "They were the result of a plan ... to permanently remove the Muslim population of Herceg-Bosna." The six were also held responsible for the destruction of the Ottoman-era Old Bridge at Mostar, whose shelling became a symbol of the ravages of the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict.   Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news Former Pashinyan envoy urges end to Genocide speculation  Marukyan has urged authorities in Armenia stop discussions about verifying the names of 1.5 million victims.First Canadian expert join EU mission in Armenia The first Canadian expert to join the European Union’s civilian mission in Armenia has arrived in Armenia.Armenian cemetery in Fresno hit by arsons six times since January Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance.Iran vows to “decisively” defend sovereignty, national interests The Iranian embassy in Armenia has defended its “defensive and proportional action in in occupied Palestine.” |
