Velika Peratovica (AA)
КТRZ 4/07
13
Persons indicted |
Defendant: AA |
Rank(s) of person(s) indicted |
lower military |
Indictment date |
|
Case stage |
finally resolved |
Duration of proceedings since trial commencement |
3 years 6 months |
Witnesses examined |
26 |
Date and outcome of the first instance verdict |
10 years in prison |
Date and outcome of decision on appeal |
lower court's judgment confirmed |
Date and outcome of verdict in new trial |
/ |
Criminal offence |
war crime against civilian population under art. 142 (1) of the Criminal Act |
Background facts |
The court found that in the period between 13 August and 31 October 1991, the defendant, at the time member of the self-organized armed group known as 'Bilogorski Odred', had engaged in the arrests and confinement of eight Croat civilians meant to be used as hostages. The body of one had later been found in a mass grave, whereas two others had been exchanged for Serbs captured by the Croatian forces. The court further found that the defendant was also responsible for the killing of five Croat civilians in the elementary school building in Velika Peratovica, area of Grubišno Polje, Croatia. |
Procedural remarks |
After a trial in absentia before the County Court in Bjelovar, Croatia in 1993, the defendant was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2007, the Croatian State Prosecutor referred evidence in this case to the Office of the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor. |