Enver HADZIHASANOVIC,
born 7 July 1950
in Zvornik, municipality of Zvornik, Republic of
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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Surrender : 4 August 2001
Initial appearance: 9 August 2001, pleaded “not
guilty” to all counts of the indictment
Provisionally released: from 13 December
2001 until 27 November 2003 and from 18 January
until 20 January 2004
Proceedings completed, awaiting judgement |
Amir
KUBURA
born 4 March
1964 in Kakanj, municipality of Kakanj, Republic
of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Surrender: 2
August 2001 Transferred
to ICTY: 4 August 2001 Initial appearance:
9 August 2001, pleaded “not guilty” to
all counts of the indictment
Provisionally released: 13 December 2001
until 27 November 2003 and from 13 until 15 March
2004
Trial ongoing: Defence case |
Mehmed
ALAGIC,
born 8 July 1947
in Fajtovci, municipality of Sanski Most, Republic
of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Following
the death of Mehmed ALAGIC on 7 March 2003, Trial
Chamber II filed an order terminating proceedings
against the accused on 21 March 2003.
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The Indictment
History of the indictment
The initial indictment was filed on 5 July 2001 and confirmed
on 13 July 2001. Pursuant to the Trial Chamber’s decision
on the form of the indictment dated 7 December 2001, the first
amended indictment was filed on 11 January 2002. Following the
order of the pre-trial judge of 5 August 2003, the second amended
indictment was filed on 15 August 2003. In compliance with the
order of the Trial Chamber of 17 September 2003, the Prosecution
filed the third amended indictment (“indictment”) on
26 September 2003.
Factual allegations: The indictment alleges that, in 1993 (and until 18 March
1994) the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ABiH) participated
in an armed conflict with the Croatian Defence Council
(HVO) and the Army of the Republic of Croatia (HV). In
particular, in April 1993 and early summer 1993, ABiH
3rd Corps units launched a series of heavy attacks against
the HVO. The attacks culminated in a massive attack between
7 June and 13 June 1993 within, among others, the municipalities
of Kakanj, Travnik and Zenica.
According to the indictment, the accused held the
following positions during the relevant period:
Enver
Hadzihasanovic was the Commander
of the ABiH 3rd Corps from 14 November 1992 to
1 November 1993, when he was promoted to Chief of
the Supreme Command Staff of the ABiH and then to
the rank of Brigadier General in December 1993, becoming
a member of the Joint Command of the Army of Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
Amir Kubura was the ABiH 3rd Corps 7th Muslim
Mountain Brigade Chief of Staff from 1 January 1993
to 20 July 1993. From 1 April 1993 to 20 July 1993,
he was acting Commander for Asim Koricic, who was absent.
On 21 July 1993, Kubura was appointed Commander of
the ABiH 3rd Corps 7th Muslim Mountain Brigade.
The ABiH 3rd Corps allegedly attacked towns and villages,
subjecting predominantly Bosnian Croat, but also Bosnian
Serb civilians, including women, children, the elderly
and the infirm, to willful killings and serious injuries.
Further, in the course of, or after the attacks, at
least 200 Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb civilians
were killed and many more were wounded or harmed while
attempting to hide or escape. In several instances,
ABiH forces killed HVO troops after their surrender.
It is alleged that mainly Bosnian Croats, but also
Bosnian Serbs, were unlawfully imprisoned and otherwise
detained, killed and beaten, subjected to physical
and/or psychological abuse, intimidation and inhuman
treatment, including being confined in overcrowded
and unsanitary conditions.
ABiH forces allegedly plundered and destroyed Bosnian
Croat and Bosnian Serb property with no military justification.
Enver Hadzihasanovic and Amir Kubura, while holding the positions set out in
the preceding paragraphs, were responsible for ensuring that military units
under their command and effective control respected and applied the rules of
international law. They were obliged by superior order to initiate proceedings
for legal sanctions against individuals under their command and effective control
who had violated the international law of war.
Charges
The indictment charges the accused as follows:
Enver Hadzihasanovic on the basis of superior criminal
responsibility (Article 7(3) of the Statute), with:
Seven
counts of violations of the laws or customs of war (Article
3 – murder; cruel treatment; wanton destruction
of cities, towns or villages, not justified by military necessity;
plunder of public or private property; destruction or willful
damage done to institutions dedicated to religion).
Amir Kubura on the basis of superior criminal responsibility
(Article 7(3) of the Statute) with:
Six
counts of violations of the laws or customs of war (Article
3 – murder; cruel treatment; wanton destruction
of cities, towns or villages, not justified by military necessity;
plunder of public or private property).
Enver Hadzihasanovic was provisionally released from 19
December 2001 until 27 November 2003, and from 18 January 2004
until 20 January 2004 in order to attend the funeral of his brother.
Amir Kubura was provisionally released from 19 December 2001
until 27 November 2003; and from 13 March 2004 until 15 March
2004 in order to attend the funeral of his mother.
Trial
The trial started on 2 December 2003. The Prosecution presented
its case from 3 December 2003 until 23 July 2004. In total, there
were 100 Prosecution witnesses, who testified during the case
presentation.
In the decision dated 27 September 2004, pursuant to Rule 98bis,
the Trial Chamber acquitted Enver Hadzihasanovic on the
part of the indictment concerning cruel treatment in Dusina, a
village near Zenica, on 26 January 1993. It further acquitted Enver
Hadzihasanovic and Amir Kubura on the parts of the indictment
concerning:
cruel
treatment in Miletici, a village in Travnik municipality, on 24
April 1993, and in Maline, also in Travnik municipality, on 8 June
1993.
the killings
of Jozo Maracic at Zenica Music School on 18 June 1993 and a Croatian
detainee in the former JNA barracks in Travnik in May 1993
the wanton
destruction of towns and villages unjustified by military necessity
in April 1993
The Trial Chamber also took note of the Prosecution’s withdrawal
of the part of the indictment concerning:
the wanton
destruction of towns and villages unjustified by military necessity
in Dusina in January 1993
pillage
in Dusina in January 1993
The Defence case for Enver Hadzihasanovic commenced
on 18 October 2004 and finished on 31 March 2005. In total, there
were 62 witnesses for the Defence of Enver Hadzihasanovic who
gave their testimony before the court.
The Defence case for Amir Kubura lasted from 11 April 2005 until
17 May 2005. There were 13 witnesses for the Defence of Amir Kubura
who gave their testimony before the court.
The Prosecutor presented its closing argument on 11 and 12 July
2005; the Defence for Enver Hadzihasanovic presented
its closing argument on 12 and 13 July 2005 and the Defence of
Amir Kubura on 14 July 2005.
There were 219 court days, including the closing arguments.
Trial Chamber II:
Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti (Presiding), France
Judge Vonimbolana Rasoazanany, Madagascar
Judge Albertus Swart, Netherlands
Counsel for the Prosecution:
Mr. Daryl A. Mundis
Ms. Tecla Henry-Benjamin
Mr. Stefan Waespi
Mr. Matthias Neuner
Counsel for the Defence:
For Enver Hadzihasanovic:
Edina Residov
Stéphane Bourgon
For Amir Kubura:
Fahrudin Ibrisimovic
Rodney Dixon
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