UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No. IT-95-13/1-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Date: 27 September 2007 International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN TRIAL CHAMBER II Before: Judge Kevin Parker, Presiding Judge Christine Van Den Wyngaert Judge Krister Thelin Registrar: Mr Hans Holthuis Judgement of: 27 September 2007 PROSECUTOR v. MILE MRK[I] MIROSLAV RADI] VESELIN [LJIVAN^ANIN PUBLIC JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr Marks Moore Mr Philip Weiner Mr Bill Smith Mr Vincent Lunny Ms Meritxell Regue Mr Alexis Demirdjian Counsel for the Accused: Mr Miroslav Vasi} and Mr Vladimir Domazet for Mile Mrk{i} Mr Borivoje Borovi} and Ms Mira Tapu{kovi} for Miroslav Radi} Mr Novak Luki} and Mr Mom~ilo Bulatovi} for Veselin [ljivan~anin CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1 II. CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE........................5 III. CONTEXT ...................................................................................................................................8 IV. COMMAND STRUCTURE OF SERB FORCES INVOLVED IN VUKOVAR OPERATIONS ..........................................................................................................................23 A. GUARDS MOTORISED BRIGADE (“GMTBR”)................................................................................23 B. OPERATIONAL GROUP SOUTH (“OG SOUTH”)............................................................................25 C. 80TH MOTORISED BRIGADE (“80 MTBR”) ....................................................................................28 D. TERRITORIAL DEFENCE (“TO”) AND VOLUNTEER OR PARAMILITARY UNITS...............................31 E. ASSAULT DETACHMENTS AND ASSAULT GROUPS ........................................................................37 F. TOWN COMMANDS ......................................................................................................................44 G. MILITARY POLICE AND SECURITY ORGANS .................................................................................45 H. SUBORDINATION OF SECURITY ORGANS .....................................................................................49 V. EVENTS ON 18 AND 19 NOVEMBER 1991 ..........................................................................52 A. ZAGREB AGREEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVACUATION OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL..................................................................................................................................52 B. SURRENDER OF CROATIAN FORCES AT MITNICA (“MITNICA EVACUATION”)..............................58 C. EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS FROM VUKOVAR .............................................................................63 D. VELEPROMET .............................................................................................................................64 E. INSPECTION OF VELEPROMET BY COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS .........................................67 F. VISIT OF CYRUS VANCE..............................................................................................................73 VI. PREPARATION FOR THE EVACUATION OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL AND EVENTS ON 20 NOVEMBER 1991 .......................................................................................75 A. JNA CONTROL OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL......................................................................................75 B. PREPARATION FOR THE EVACUATION OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL ...................................................79 C. 20 NOVEMBER 1991 ...................................................................................................................83 1. Events in the morning at Vukovar hospital............................................................................83 2. Events at and near Vukovar hospital in the late morning and early afternoon......................87 3. Events at the JNA barracks in Vukovar.................................................................................90 4. Session of the SAO “government” ........................................................................................95 5. Events at Ov~ara ....................................................................................................................98 6. Serb forces and JNA officers involved in the events at Ov~ara ..........................................106 (a) JNA officers present at Ov~ara during the events of the afternoon ..................................... 106 (b) Serb forces present at Ov~ara and JNA units securing the hangar....................................... 110 (c) Withdrawal of the military police of the 80 mtbr from Ov~ara and ensuing events............ 115 D. ROLE OF MILE MRK{I}.............................................................................................................123 1. Evidence and findings..........................................................................................................123 2. Mile Mrk{i}’s departure to Belgrade ...................................................................................141 E. ROLE OF MIROSLAV RADI}.......................................................................................................144 1. Evidence and Findings.........................................................................................................144 2. Credibility of Witness P002.................................................................................................157 F. ROLE OF VESELIN [LJIVAN~ANIN..............................................................................................159 1. Participation in the events....................................................................................................159 2. Did Mile Mrk{i} confer on Veselin [ljivan~anin special authority?...................................168 VII. JURISDICTION ....................................................................................................................175 A. JURISDICTION UNDER ARTICLE 3..............................................................................................175 1. Chapeau requirements .........................................................................................................175 (a) Existence of an armed conflict ............................................................................................. 175 (b) Nexus between the acts of the accused and the armed conflict ........................................... 180 (c) The four Tadi} conditions .................................................................................................... 181 2. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................181 B. JURISDICTION UNDER ARTICLE 5 ..............................................................................................182 1. Chapeau requirements .........................................................................................................182 (a) Nexus to an armed conflict................................................................................................... 182 (b) Widespread or systematic attack and nexus to the attack .................................................... 183 (c) Directed against any civilian population.............................................................................. 184 (d) Applicability of Article 5 to non-civilian victims................................................................ 185 (i) Submissions ...................................................................................................................... 186 (ii) Discussion........................................................................................................................ 187 (iii) Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 194 2. Findings................................................................................................................................195 (a) Widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population .............................. 195 (b) Status of the victims of the crimes alleged in the Indictment .............................................. 198 3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................202 VIII. THE CHARGES...................................................................................................................203 A. MURDER (COUNT 4).................................................................................................................203 1. Law on murder.....................................................................................................................203 2. Findings on murder..............................................................................................................204 3. Findings on identity of the victims ......................................................................................208 4. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................213 B. TORTURE AND CRUEL TREATMENT (COUNTS 7 AND 8) .............................................................214