Bosnia Refuses to Extradite Glavas to Croatia

Sarajevo | 23 June 2009 |

Branimir Glavas

Bosnia’s State Court will not extradite Branimir Glavas to the Republic of Croatia where the courts sentenced him earlier this year to ten years’ jail.

The court rejected a request filed by the Ministry of Justice of Croatia, seeking the extradition of Glavas, who was sentenced by a first-instance verdict for war crimes committed in Osijek during 1991.  

The State Court recalled that Bosnia’s criminal code outlawed a person holding Bosnian citizenship from being extradited and does not mention any exceptions to this rule.

Glavas was arrested in the vicinity of Kupres, in Bosnia, on May 13 under an Interpol warrant issued by the Republic of Croatia. 

The warrant was issued after Glavas failed to appear before the County Court in Zagreb for a hearing on his verdict. Following his arrest, Croatia filed a request for his extradition, although Glavas has had Bosnian citizenship since October 22, 2008.   

The Bosnian State Court said it had made “the only possible decision” when it rejected the extradition request.

“Not one contract or convention signed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, or customary international law stipulates that Bosnia and Herzegovina is obliged to extradite its citizens to the Republic of Croatia,” it said. 

The judge of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina said that Glavas had obtained Bosnian citizenship “on the basis of his parents' place of birth”, adding that this right was exercised “with legitimate purpose”.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia have so far failed to sign an agreement on the extradition of people holding citizenship of both countries.

Glavas has consistently denied accusations of war crimes, at one time going on hunger strike and accusing Croatia’s ruling Croatian Democratic Union of pursuing a vendetta against him.

(Report by BIRN - Justice Report - www.bim.ba)

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Comments:

Justice for all
2009-06-23 21:42:43

This article alone speaks volumes about Bosniak attitude toward war criminals, which are already sentenced (not under investigation or on trial), and especially about Bosniak attitude toward those war criminals who committed those crimes against Serbs. While is Serbia war criminals are sentenced for 20 or 30 years in prison by Serbian courts - and immediately dispatched to serve the sentence, Bosniak judges refuse to extradite proved and sentenced war criminal who committed atrocities against Serbs.

Justice for all?
2009-06-24 03:18:33

Hawk, you are so correct. People like Sara and Antifascist come on here and accuse you and I of being racist simply for wanting justice done for all. They constantly bash Serbs or RS but never once have I seen them say something about Serbian victims or their own criminals. In their minds Serbian victims don't exist and Albanian or Bosnian Muslim criminals don't exist. Croatia won't even hand over papers requested by the Hague court and Serbia has extradited many of their own people and have sentenced their own to years of imprisoment but to some people nothing short of shooting every last Serbs will be enough. How about Bosnia does the right thing before they ask others to?

2009-06-29 02:31:36

And what about Ratko Mladic?

You are Wrong: Nothing to do with Bosniaks
2009-06-29 07:48:21

The State Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina has NOTHING TO DO WITH BOSNIAKS. It's a state comprised of Bosniaks, Serb, Croat, and international judges. Educate yourself before you start blaming Bosniaks.

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Bosnia Refuses to Extradite Glavas to Croatia