The Hague Tribunal has approved the early release of Dragan Obrenovic, who has served 10 out of a total of 17 years in prison for war crimes in Srebrenica.
Patrick Robinson, then President of the Hague Tribunal, approved Obrenovic’s release before he had served even two thirds of his sentence.
“This has been considered a necessary condition in the Tribunal's practice so far, but due to Obrenovic's 'extraordinary collaboration' with the Hague Tribunal, the decision has been made prior to the expiration of two thirds of his sentence, which would be August 2012,” the decision says.
Obrenovic, former Deputy Commander of the First Zvornik Brigade with the Republika Srpska Army, was arrested in 2001.
Two years later he pleaded guilty to participating in the persecution of Bosniaks from Srebrenica, including the murder of 7,000 prisoners after Bosnian Serb forces occupied the town on July 11, 1995.
In December 2003 he was sentenced to 17 years in prison. In June 2004 he was transferred to Norway to serve his sentence.
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Timeline of events in the case against 13 former Serb fighters charged with committing war crimes in the villages of Cuska, Zahac, Ljubenic and Pavlac in Kosovo in 1999.