UNITED NATIONS International Tribunal for the Case No. IT-95-14/2-T Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Date: 26 February 2001 International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 Original: ENGLISH IN THE TRIAL CHAMBER Before: Judge Richard May, Presiding Judge Mohamed Bennouna Judge Patrick Robinson Registrar: Mr. Hans Holthuis Date: 26 February 2001 PROSECUTOR v. DARIO KORDI] & MARIO ^ERKEZ JUDGEMENT The Office of the Prosecutor: Mr. Geoffrey Nice, Q.C. Mr. Patrick Lopez-Terres Mr. Kenneth R. Scott Ms. Susan Somers Mr. Fabricio Guariglia Counsel for the Accused: Mr. Mitko Naumovski, Mr. Turner T. Smith, Jr., Mr. Stephen M. Sayers, Mr. Robert Stein and Mr. Christopher G. Browning, Jr., for Dario Kordi} Mr. Božidar Kova~i} and Mr. Goran Mikuli~i}, for Mario ^erkez PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/d4fedd/ Case No. IT-95-14/2-T 26 February 2001 CONTENTS PART ONE: INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................1 PART TWO: THE LAW .................................................................................................................9 I. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF ARTICLES 2, 3 AND 5 OF THE STATUTE....................................................................................................................9 A. ELEMENTS COMMON TO ARTICLES 2, 3 AND 5 OF THE STATUTE .................................................9 1. Requirement of an Armed Conflict..........................................................................................9 2. Nexus Between the Crimes Alleged and the Armed Conflict................................................11 B. ARTICLE 2 OF THE STATUTE.......................................................................................................12 1. Arguments of the Parties........................................................................................................13 (a) The Prosecution case.......................................................................................................... 13 (b) The Defence case............................................................................................................... 14 (i) The Kordi} Defence ....................................................................................................... 14 (ii) The ^erkez Defence ...................................................................................................... 17 2. Discussion ..............................................................................................................................20 (a) The international character of the armed conflict................................................................ 20 (i) Preliminary issues........................................................................................................... 20 a. Croatian troop activity outside the La{va Valley .......................................................... 20 b. The significance of the overlapping conflicts ............................................................... 22 (ii) The two criteria for determining the international character of an armed conflict............ 23 a. Whether Croatia intervened in the conflict................................................................... 23 i. The Prosecution Evidence ........................................................................................ 23 ii. Defence evidence.................................................................................................... 29 iii. Findings ................................................................................................................. 30 b. Whether the HVO acted on behalf of Croatia............................................................... 32 i. Croatia’s provision of assistance to the HVO............................................................ 33 ii. Croatia’s participation in the organisation etc. of military operations....................... 35 (b) Whether the Bosnian Muslims were “protected” persons ................................................... 40 C. ARTICLE 3 OF THE STATUTE.......................................................................................................43 1. Whether Article 3 Covers Internal Armed Conflicts .............................................................43 2. Whether Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, Additional Protocols I and II, were Customary Law...........................................................................................................44 D. ARTICLE 5 OF THE STATUTE ......................................................................................................46 1. Widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population..........................................47 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 47 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 48 2. Mental Element......................................................................................................................50 II. DEFINITION AND ELEMENTS OF THE CRIMES............................................................52 A. PERSECUTION AS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY .......................................................................52 1. Actus Reus..............................................................................................................................53 (a) Scope of the crime of persecution....................................................................................... 53 (b) Specific offences alleged in the Indictment ........................................................................ 56 (i) Acts enumerated elsewhere in the Statute........................................................................ 57 a. Attacking cities, towns and villages ............................................................................. 57 b. Trench-digging and use of hostages and human shields ............................................... 57 c. Wanton destruction and plundering.............................................................................. 57 d. Destruction and damage of religious or educational institutions ................................... 58 (ii) Acts not enumerated elsewhere in the Statute................................................................. 59 i PURL: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/d4fedd/ Case No. IT-95-14/2-T 26 February 2001 a. Encouraging and promoting hatred on political etc. grounds ........................................ 59 b. Dismissing and removing Bosnian Muslims from government etc. .............................. 60 2. Mens Rea................................................................................................................................60 B. WILFUL KILLING AND MURDER .................................................................................................64 1. Wilful Killing.........................................................................................................................64 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 64 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 65 2. Murder (Article 3)..................................................................................................................65 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 65 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 66 3. Murder (Article 5)..................................................................................................................66 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 66 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 67 C. OFFENCES OF MISTREATMENT ...................................................................................................68 1. Wilfully Causing Great Suffering or Serious Injury to Body or Health (Article 2)..............68 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 68 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 69 2. Inhuman Treatment (Article 2)..............................................................................................70 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 70 (b) Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 72 3. Violence to Life and Person (Article 3).................................................................................73 (a) Arguments of the parties .................................................................................................... 73 (b) Discussion ........................................................................................................................