UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No. IT-99-36-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Date: 1 September 2004 International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: English IN THE TRIAL CHAMBER II Before: Judge Carmel Agius, Presiding Judge Ivana Janu Judge Chikako Taya Registrar: Mr. Hans Holthuis Judgement of: 1 September 2004 PROSECUTOR v. RADOSLAV BR\ANIN JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Ms. Joanna Korner Ms. Anna Richterova Ms. Ann Sutherland Mr. Julian Nicholls Counsel for the Accused: Mr. John Ackerman Mr. David Cunningham Case No.: IT-99-36-T 1 September 2004 CONTENTS I. SUMMARY OF THE CHARGES................................................................................................1 II. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE ...8 III. PRELIMINARY ISSUES RAISED BY THE DEFENCE.....................................................16 A. UNINTENTIONAL BIAS AGAINST SERBS ......................................................................................16 B. THE NEED TO VIEW EVENTS FROM A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.........................18 C. CHALLENGE TO THE INDICTMENT...............................................................................................19 IV. GENERAL OVERVIEW..........................................................................................................24 A. BACKGROUND TO THE ARMED CONFLICT IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ..................................24 B. THE POLITICAL AGENDA OF THE BOSNIAN SERB LEADERSHIP ....................................................28 C. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE BOSNIAN KRAJINA..............................34 V. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CRIMES ALLEGED IN THE INDICTMENT...........................................................................................................................55 A. ARTICLE 2 OF THE STATUTE: GRAVE BREACHES OF THE 1949 GENEVA CONVENTIONS ............55 B. ARTICLE 3 OF THE STATUTE: VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR........................56 C. ARTICLE 5 OF THE STATUTE: CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ......................................................57 D. FINDINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ARTICLES 2, 3 AND 5 OF THE STATUTE ..................................................................................................................................61 1. Findings in respect of the general requirements common to Articles 2, 3 and 5...................61 2. Findings in respect of the general requirements specific to Article 2....................................62 3. Findings in respect of the general requirements specific to Article 3 of the Statute .............67 4. Findings in respect of the general requirements specific to Article 5 of the Statute .............68 VI. THE REGIONAL LEVEL OF AUTHORITY .......................................................................70 A. THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF KRAJINA ...................................................................................70 1. The establishment of the ARK...............................................................................................70 2. The nature and the authority of the ARK...............................................................................73 3. The dispute between the ARK and the authorities of the SerBiH on the status of the ARK.77 4. The role of the ARK in general..............................................................................................79 B. THE CRISIS STAFF OF THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF KRAJINA..................................................82 C. AUTHORITY OF THE ARK CRISIS STAFF.....................................................................................86 1. The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff with respect to municipal authorities........................87 2. The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff with respect to the police..........................................93 3. The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff with respect to the Army ..........................................95 4. The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff with respect to Serbian paramilitary units..............100 D. THE ROLE OF THE ARK CRISIS STAFF IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN......101 1. ARK Decisions implementing the Strategic Plan................................................................101 (a) Dismissals of non-Serb professionals .................................................................................. 102 (b) Disarmament of paramilitary units and individuals who illegally possessed weapons, selectively enforced against non-Serbs............................................................................... 104 (i) 4 May 1992 decision......................................................................................................... 105 (ii) 9 May 1992 decision........................................................................................................ 106 (iii) 13/14 May 1992 decisions.............................................................................................. 106 (iv) 18 May 1992 decision..................................................................................................... 107 (c) Resettlement of the non-Serb population ............................................................................. 107 2. Conclusions..........................................................................................................................110 i Case No.: IT-99-36-T 1 September 2004 VII. INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY................................................................111 A. RESPONSIBILITY UNDER ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE STATUTE..........................................................111 1. Joint Criminal Enterprise .....................................................................................................111 2. Other modes of liability under Article 7(1) of the Statute...................................................114 (a) Planning................................................................................................................................ 115 (b) Instigating............................................................................................................................. 115 (c) Ordering ............................................................................................................................... 116 (d) Aiding and abetting.............................................................................................................. 116 B. SUPERIOR CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY UNDER ARTICLE 7(3) OF THE STATUTE ........................117 1. Responsibility pursuant to Article 7(3) in general...............................................................117 2. Responsibility of Civilian Superiors Pursuant to Article 7(3).............................................120 3. Relationship between Article 7(1) and Article 7(3).............................................................121 VIII. THE ACCUSED’S ROLE AND HIS RESPONSIBILITY IN GENERAL.....................123 A. POSITIONS HELD BY THE ACCUSED...........................................................................................123 B. DE JURE AND DE FACTO POWER OF THE ACCUSED.....................................................................124 1. The power of the Accused before the creation of the ARK Crisis Staff..............................125 2. The power of the Accused as President of the ARK Crisis Staff ........................................126 3. The power of the Accused after the abolishment of the ARK Crisis Staff..........................128 C. THE ACCUSED’S PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ..............129 1. The Accused’s espousal of the Strategic Plan .....................................................................129 2. The Accused’s participation in the implementation of the Strategic Plan before the establishment of the ARK Crisis Staff ..............................................................................130 3. The Accused’s participation in the implementation of the Strategic Plan as President of the ARK Crisis Staff .........................................................................................................133 4. The Accused’s participation in the implementation of the Strategic Plan after the abolishment of the ARK Crisis Staff.................................................................................135 5. The Accused’s propaganda campaign .................................................................................135 6. The Accused’s knowledge that crimes were being committed............................................140 D. THE ACCUSED’S CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY IN GENERAL.........................................................141 1. Joint Criminal Enterprise .....................................................................................................142 2. Planning ...............................................................................................................................147 3. Instigating ............................................................................................................................147 4. Ordering ...............................................................................................................................148 5. Aiding and abetting..............................................................................................................149