Gotovina, Markac and Cermak war crimes trial opens on Tuesday
10/03/2008
The trial of three high-profile Croatian generals charged with atrocities committed in 1995 is set to begin Tuesday at The Hague tribunal.
By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 10/03/08
 The International Criminal Court at The Hague. [Getty Images] |
The trial of three retired generals who are accused of crimes committed during the war in Croatia in 1995, opens on Tuesday (March 11th).
The generals -- Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac -- are charged with crimes against humanity and violation of war regulations during Operation Storm, which lasted from July to September 30, 1995, in areas of Croatia that were occupied by Serbs.
The men face seven charges, including murder, persecution and inhumane acts during and after the recapture of the Krajina region by Croatian troops. They pleaded not guilty during their first hearing before the court and later, when their charges were partially altered.
At the time of the operation, Gotovina was commander of the Split Military District of the Croatian Army (HV) -- which he commanded from 1992 to 1996. Cermak was commander of the Knin Garrison and the highest ranking Croatian military authority in the garrison's jurisdiction, and Marcak was commander of the interior ministry's special police.
Proceedings leading up to the trial have shown that the indictment might result in significant differences among the three defences. Because each strategy is based on undermining the other, media analysts and independent legal experts predict that during the trial the three generals might accuse each other of criminal activity based on their individual command responsibilities.
The trial is expected to receive intense media and public attention in Croatia, where the three are perceived as national heroes. Gotovina is an icon of right wing conservatives, who consider him responsible for liberating the country in the 1995 military action.
Gotovina was arrested in December 2005 and has since been held at The Hague's Scheveningen detention unit. Markac had a provisional release, but failed to follow rules and consequently was ordered to return to The Hague. Cermak had been held in Zagreb, awaiting trial.
The trial is not expected to conclude before the end of the year. According to the tribunal's exit strategy, all appeals should be finalised by 2010.
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