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Bosnian Suspect Pleads Guilty in the Hague
A former Bosnian Serb military policeman, who was extradited from Russia last year, pleaded guilty to seven counts of his case at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on Wednesday. Dragan Zelenovic admitted to taking part in the torture and rape of Muslim women in the town of Foca in the early 1990s. Zelenovic’s confession came after a deal with the prosecutor who responded with dropping half of the counts against him. Mr. Zelenovic is now in for 7 to 15 years in prison instead of a life sentence.
Speaking at a court session on Wednesday night Dragan Zelenovic pleaded guilty to several counts of his case, including torture and rape.
Back in 1992, Bosnian Serb troops occupied the own of Foca, south-east of Sarajevo, where Muslim women and girls were sexually abused in prison camps operated by Serb forces. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia accused Mr. Zelenovic, a commander of the Bosnian Serb military police, of direct involvement in the atrocities.
Dragan Zelenovic was detained in Russia’s western Siberia last year for using a false passport. After long delays in the transfer, the Serb eventually extradited to Sarajevo and then sent to the Hague. Mr. Zelenovic had earlier denied his guilt.
The confession was made possible after a deal with the prosecutor. In trade of the man’s partial confession, the prosecutor dropped 7 out of 14 counts in his case. Dragan Zelenovic’s lawyer said his client had agreed to the deal due to his poor health. With only 7 counts to his name, Mr. Zelenovic now faces 10 to 15 years in prison which could be further reduced to 7 years with the help of defense.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Jan. 19, 2007
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