ICTY: Physical Force Against Tolimir

Zdravko Tolimir, former deputy commander for intelligence and security affairs of the General Staff of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, has claimed that the authorities at the Hague Tribunal Detention unit used ophysical force against him during his identification in July 2009.

“I was invited by the commander of the United Nations Detention Unit to an official interview in her office, where there were several persons and some technical apparatus. On my arrival at the office I was informed that they desired to take my fingerprints. I informed the commander that I did not wish to provide fingerprints. The personnel of the UN Detention unit used physical force against me and took my prints forcibly, and forcibly photographed me”, said Tolimir in a notice to the Tribunal.

In the same notice Tolimir demanded that The Tribunal judges inspect the work of the Detention unit staff toward detainees, and investigate the reasons for the forcible taking of fingerprints and photographs, and find out if this was ordered by someone.

Tolimir is charged with genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war, in July 1995 in Srebrenica and Zepa.

He was arrested by Republika Srpska police officers in May 2007 in BiH, and then transferred to the Tribunal, which had issued a warrant for his arrest. He is still awaiting the start of his trial.

In his notice, Tolimir says he was not arrested in BiH but kidnapped in Belgrade and then illegally transferred to BiH, and then to the Tribunal.

“I have refused to confirm my identity even when appearing before this court. I have requested that I be furnished with the documents taken from me when I was kidnapped in Serbia in order to prove the illegal actions of the state organs of Serbia, BiH and the organs of the Tribunal,” Tolimir said.

In July 2009, Tolimir filed a motion with the Tribunal, asking for the guards to stop “supervising” his detention cell, also objecting to the placing of micro-chips in his body.

Tolimir refused to participate in a plea hearing in front of the Tribunal in July 2007, after which the court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.