DATE=2/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258987
BYLINE=LAUREN COMITEAU
DATELINE=THE HAGUE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Judges at the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal
have sent a Bosnian Croat back to jail after nine-
months of freedom. Former camp commander, Zlatko
Aleksovski, was released from custody in May after
judges ruled that he had served his time. But as
Lauren Comiteau reports from The Hague, appeals judges
say his first sentence was not harsh enough.
TEXT: Zlatko Aleksovski entered the courtroom
(Wednesday) as a free man. Four-hours later, it was
back to the Tribunal prison where he served almost
three-years.
Judges convicted him last May of physically and
mentally abusing Muslims while commander of the Kaonik
prison camp in central Bosnia in 1993. When that
sentenced was handed down judges gave him two-and-one-
half years. But because Aleksovski had already been
in custody for almost three-years, judges set him
free.
Aleksovski voluntarily returned from his home in
Croatia to The Hague this week for his appeals
hearing. Aleksovski wanted his conviction overturned,
an appeal the judges denied.
But prosecutors also appealed. They wanted Aleksovski
convicted of the more serious charges he was initially
acquitted of: grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva
Conventions. To prove that, prosecutors have to show
that there was an international armed conflict between
Bosnia and Croatia at the time the crimes were
committed.
Appeals judges said they will consider the
prosecution's appeal. In the meantime, they sided
with the prosecution's other argument that two-and-
one-half years was not a harsh enough sentence for his
conviction. Presiding Judge Richard May made this
announcement to Aleksovski.
/// ACT MAY ///
Accordingly, the appellant must now remain in
custody until such time as revised sentence is
pronounced.
/// END ACT ///
Upon hearing the announcement, a visibly shocked
Aleksovski buried his face in his hands. His lawyer
says he is in a very bad mood.
Judges now have to decide what his increased sentence
will be. If they find that the Muslim - Croat
conflict was international, Aleksovski could be facing
an even harsher prison term. (SIGNED)
NEB/LC/GE/RAE
09-Feb-2000 12:28 PM EDT (09-Feb-2000 1728 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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