UNITED NATIONS Case No. IT-95-11-T International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in Date: 12 June 2007 the Territory of Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN TRIAL CHAMBER I Before: Judge Bakone Justice Moloto, Presiding Judge Janet Nosworthy Judge Frank Höpfel Registrar: Mr. Hans Holthuis Judgement of: 12 June 2007 PROSECUTOR v. MILAN MARTI] JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr. Alex Whiting Ms. Anna Richterova Mr. Colin Black Ms. Nisha Valabhji Counsel for Milan Martić: Mr. Predrag Milovan~evi} Mr. Nikola Perovi} Contents List of abbreviations and acronyms .................................................................................................5 I. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................7 A. The Accused Milan Martić..........................................................................................................7 B. Overview of the case against Milan Martić.................................................................................7 C. Interpretation of the Indictment...................................................................................................9 D. General considerations regarding the evaluation of evidence ..................................................12 1. General...................................................................................................................................12 2. Witnesses whose evidence has been assessed with particular caution ..................................15 II. APPLICABLE LAW ..................................................................................................................18 A. General requirements of Article 3 of the Statute ......................................................................18 1. Generally................................................................................................................................18 2. Existence of an armed conflict and the nexus requirement ...................................................19 3. The Tadić conditions..............................................................................................................20 4. “Persons taking no active part in the hostilities” ...................................................................21 B. General requirements of Article 5 of the Statute.......................................................................21 1. Elements.................................................................................................................................21 2. Applicability of Article 5 to non-civilians.............................................................................23 C. Murder.......................................................................................................................................27 D. Extermination............................................................................................................................28 E. Attacks on civilians ...................................................................................................................29 F. Torture .......................................................................................................................................30 G. Cruel treatment..........................................................................................................................32 H. Other inhumane acts..................................................................................................................32 I. Imprisonment..............................................................................................................................33 J. Wanton destruction of villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity....................34 K. Destruction or wilful damage done to institutions dedicated to education or religion .............36 L. Plunder of public or private property ........................................................................................37 M. Deportation and other inhumane acts (forcible transfer)..........................................................38 N. Persecution ................................................................................................................................40 O. The Defence’s challenge to the concept of JCE .......................................................................42 III. FACTUAL FINDINGS.............................................................................................................43 A. Background ...............................................................................................................................43 B. The SAO Krajina.......................................................................................................................44 1. Development of the SAO Krajina..........................................................................................44 2. Support provided to the SAO Krajina....................................................................................49 3. Training camp in Golubić and “Martić’s Police” ..................................................................51 C. The RSK....................................................................................................................................53 1. Development of the RSK.......................................................................................................53 2. Cooperation with and assistance from Serbia........................................................................58 D. Armed clashes between Serb and Croatian forces ....................................................................60 1. During spring and summer of 1991 .......................................................................................60 2. Hrvatska Dubica, Cerovljani and Ba}in.................................................................................63 (a) Take-over of Hrvatska Kostajnica and Hrvatska Dubica....................................................... 63 (b) Hrvatska Dubica..................................................................................................................... 64 (c) Cerovljani............................................................................................................................... 68 (d) Ba}in and surroundings.......................................................................................................... 69 (e) Destruction in Cerovljani, Hrvatska Dubica, and Baćin after December 1991...................... 71 3. Saborsko area.........................................................................................................................72 (a) Municipality of Plaški ............................................................................................................ 72 Case No. IT-95-11-T 2 12 June 2007 (b) Lipovača................................................................................................................................. 73 (c) Poljanak and Vukovići ........................................................................................................... 76 (d) Saborsko................................................................................................................................. 79 (i) Attack on Saborsko on 12 November 1991 ........................................................................ 81 (ii) Killings in Saborsko on 12 November 1991...................................................................... 83 4. [kabrnja and Nadin................................................................................................................86 (a) [kabrnja, Nadin and surrounding villages ............................................................................. 86 (b) Situation in Škabrnja, Nadin and surroundings prior to 18 November 1991......................... 86 (c) Attack on [kabrnja and Nadin on 18 and 19 November 1991............................................... 88 (d) Evidence of units present in Škabrnja.................................................................................... 90 (e) Killings in Škabrnja and Nadin .............................................................................................. 92 (i) Killings at Slavko Šegarić’s house in Ambar on 18 November 1991 ................................ 92 (ii) Killings at Petar Pavi~i}’s house in Škabrnja on 18 November 1991 ............................... 93 (iii) Killings at Pere Sopić’s house in Nadin on 19 November 1991 ...................................... 95 (iv) Other killings in Škabrnja and Nadin ............................................................................... 96 (f) Investigations into the events in Škabrnja and Nadin on 18 and 19 November 1991 .......... 100 (g) Destruction in [kabrnja and Nadin ...................................................................................... 100 5. Bru{ka ..................................................................................................................................101 E. Detention-related crimes .........................................................................................................104 1. SJB in Titova Korenica........................................................................................................104 2. Detention facilities