23 July 2007
News
Lucic: Main Trial Completed
BIRN BiHTrial of Kreso Lucic ends with the examination of an additional defence witness.
The main trial of Kreso Lucic, who was indicted for crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Kresevo municipality, has been completed after the examination of an additional defence witness.
The trial chamber will listen to the prosecution's closing remarks on 13 September, while the defence will present its closing remarks the following day.
According to the indictment, Lucic, in his former capacity as Military Police Commander of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) in Kresevo in June and July 1993, "ordered detention of Bosniak civilians in 'Ivo Lola Ribar' elementary school and 'Sunje' hangar, when they were tortured and exposed to physical maltreatment".
Zeljko Drlje, a policeman from Kresevo and the additional witness at this trial, has spoken about the credibility of prosecution witness Fazil Fadilbasic, alleging that the witness is "disposed towards violation of public order" and claiming that "a few criminal charges" have been filed against him.
During the evidence process, Fadilbasic was invited to testify about his stay in the detention camp.
Defence attorney Kresimir Zubak has asked to examine one more witness.
The trial chamber has rejected the request, explaining that the relevant circumstances which would be the subject of such examination have already been "sufficiently explicated".
The prosecution's request for "defining of the indictment" has also been denied as, according to the trial chamber, it "would not change the facts or the legal qualification of the criminal offence charged upon Lucic".
The prosecution has agreed with the trial chamber's suggestion to include, as evidence, verdicts passed in The Hague concerning the conflict between the Army of BiH and HVO on the territory of Central Bosnia. However, the defence objected to this suggestion.
The defence considers that the happenings in Kresevo "cannot be considered in the context of the Central Bosnia". Explaining this statement, Zubak says that the Hague tribunal determined that HVO forces initiated the attack on the territory of Central Bosnia, while, he claims, the Army of BiH initiated the attack on Kresevo.
Giving an additional reason for the objection, Zubak has mentioned that there was no prosecution in Kresevo and that prisoners were "detained in accordance with the Geneva Convention", which was not the case in other part of Central Bosnia.
"The facts determined in The Hague are not important for this process and do not have any influence on it," Zubak has said.
The trial chamber's decision will be pronounced at a later stage.
The trial chamber will listen to the prosecution's closing remarks on 13 September, while the defence will present its closing remarks the following day.
According to the indictment, Lucic, in his former capacity as Military Police Commander of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) in Kresevo in June and July 1993, "ordered detention of Bosniak civilians in 'Ivo Lola Ribar' elementary school and 'Sunje' hangar, when they were tortured and exposed to physical maltreatment".
Zeljko Drlje, a policeman from Kresevo and the additional witness at this trial, has spoken about the credibility of prosecution witness Fazil Fadilbasic, alleging that the witness is "disposed towards violation of public order" and claiming that "a few criminal charges" have been filed against him.
During the evidence process, Fadilbasic was invited to testify about his stay in the detention camp.
Defence attorney Kresimir Zubak has asked to examine one more witness.
The trial chamber has rejected the request, explaining that the relevant circumstances which would be the subject of such examination have already been "sufficiently explicated".
The prosecution's request for "defining of the indictment" has also been denied as, according to the trial chamber, it "would not change the facts or the legal qualification of the criminal offence charged upon Lucic".
The prosecution has agreed with the trial chamber's suggestion to include, as evidence, verdicts passed in The Hague concerning the conflict between the Army of BiH and HVO on the territory of Central Bosnia. However, the defence objected to this suggestion.
The defence considers that the happenings in Kresevo "cannot be considered in the context of the Central Bosnia". Explaining this statement, Zubak says that the Hague tribunal determined that HVO forces initiated the attack on the territory of Central Bosnia, while, he claims, the Army of BiH initiated the attack on Kresevo.
Giving an additional reason for the objection, Zubak has mentioned that there was no prosecution in Kresevo and that prisoners were "detained in accordance with the Geneva Convention", which was not the case in other part of Central Bosnia.
"The facts determined in The Hague are not important for this process and do not have any influence on it," Zubak has said.
The trial chamber's decision will be pronounced at a later stage.
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