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14 January 2000 International Tribunal for the Prosecution Of UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No.: IT-95-16-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Date: 14 January 2000 International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN THE TRIAL CHAMBER Before: Judge Antonio Cassese, Presiding Judge Richard May Judge Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba Registrar: Mrs. Dorothee de Sampayo Garrido-Nijgh Judgement of: 14 January 2000 PROSECUTOR v. Zoran KUPRE[KI], Mirjan KUPRE[KI], Vlatko KUPRE[KI], Drago JOSIPOVI], Dragan PAPI], Vladimir [ANTI], also known as “VLADO” JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr. Franck Terrier Mr. Michael Blaxill Counsel for the Accused: Mr. Ranko Radovi}, Mr. Tomislav Pasari}, for Zoran Kupre{ki} Ms. Jadranka Slokovi}-Gluma}, Ms. Desanka Vranjican, for Mirjan Kupre{ki} Mr. Borislav Krajina, Mr. Želimar Par, for Vlatko Kupre{ki} Mr. Luko [u{ak, Ms. Goranka Herljevic, for Drago Josipovi} Mr. Petar Puli{eli}, Ms. Nika Pinter, for Dragan Papi} Mr. Petar Pavkovi}, Mr. Mirko Vrdoljak, for Vladimir Šanti} Case No.: IT-95-16-T 14 January 2000 PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/5c6a53/ i CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 2 A. The International Tribunal.........................................................................................................................2 B. Procedural Background...............................................................................................................................2 II. THE CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED........................................................ 10 III. GENERAL BACKGROUND .................................................................................. 13 A. The Origins of the Muslim-Croat Conflict (October 1992 - March 1994)...................................13 1. The Case for the Prosecution .................................................................................................................13 (a) General..................................................................................................................................................13 (b) The Vance-Owen Plan........................................................................................................................14 (c) Croat Nationalism, Militancy and Propaganda..............................................................................16 2. The Case for the Defence........................................................................................................................17 3. Findings of the Trial Chamber...............................................................................................................18 B. The Stages in the Muslim-Croat Conflict..............................................................................................18 1. The Fall of Jajce to the Serbs and the Influx of Muslim and Croat Refugees ...............................18 (a) The Case for the Prosecution............................................................................................................19 (b) The Case for the Defence...................................................................................................................19 (c) Findings of the Trial Chamber..........................................................................................................19 2. Attacks on Bosnian Croats in the La{va River Valley.......................................................................19 (a) The Case for the Prosecution............................................................................................................19 (b) The Case for the Defence...................................................................................................................20 (i) Dusina ..............................................................................................................................................20 (ii) Busovaca.........................................................................................................................................21 (iii) Kidnapping of Zivko Toti} and the Killing of his Bodyguards.............................................21 (iv) Attacks on Croats in Stari Vitez (Mahala).................................................................................21 (v) Attacks on Croats in Zenica.........................................................................................................22 (vi) Croat Propaganda and Preparation for an Attack by Bosnian Muslim Forces....................22 (c) Findings of the Trial Chamber..........................................................................................................23 C. Muslim-Croat Relations in Central Bosnia ..........................................................................................24 1. The Case for the Prosecution .................................................................................................................24 (a) Good Muslim-Croat Relations before October 1992....................................................................24 (b) Deterioration in Relations after October 1992 and the Separation of the Village Guards.....25 2. The Case for the Defence........................................................................................................................26 3. Findings of the Trial Chamber...............................................................................................................27 D. Persecution – Alleged Facts......................................................................................................................27 1. The Case for the Prosecution .................................................................................................................27 (a) General..................................................................................................................................................27 (b) Discriminatory Acts from October 1992 until April 1993...........................................................28 2. The Case for the Defence........................................................................................................................33 (a) General..................................................................................................................................................33 (b) Croat Nationalism...............................................................................................................................33 (c) Muslim Nationalism and Persecution of Croats ............................................................................35 (d) Absence of an Official Plan or Policy on the Part of the Bosnian Croat Political and Military Institutions to Persecute Muslims.....................................................................................36 Case No.: IT-95-16-T 14 January 2000 PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/5c6a53/ ii (e) Whether the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna had a Separatist Agenda........................37 (f) Whether the Bosnian Croat Authorities Condoned Persecution of Muslims by Private Individuals............................................................................................................................................38 (g) Whether State Enterprises Discriminated Against Muslims .......................................................39 (h) Whether Relief Supplies were Distributed Equally to Muslims.................................................40 (i) The Fact that Croat Civilians were also the Victims of Attacks by Bosnian Muslims...........41 3. Findings of the Trial Chamber...............................................................................................................42 E. Governmental and Armed Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992-1993.............................43 1. General .......................................................................................................................................................43 2. The Bosnian Croat forces........................................................................................................................44 (a) The Bosnian Croat Leadership in Vitez..........................................................................................44 (b) The HVO and the Vitez Brigade ......................................................................................................44 (c) Croatian Paramilitary Formations....................................................................................................45 (d) The Military Police and “The Jokers”.............................................................................................46 3. The Bosnian Muslim Forces...................................................................................................................48 (a) The Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH army).......................................................................48 (b) Muslim Paramilitary Formations......................................................................................................49 (c) Mobilisation of Muslims....................................................................................................................49 (d) The Territorial Defence......................................................................................................................49 (e) Bosnian Muslim Roadblocks
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