Tarandzic and Zec Sentenced to Three Years Each

Tarandzic and Zec, former members of the Police Station in Mejdan, were pronounced guilty of having stopped Sabahudin Ramic on July 22, 1993. Ramic then allegedly tried to run away to a nearby Drenovaca brook. It is alleged that Tarandzic ordered Zec to shoot. Zec accepted the order and killed Ramic by opening burst fire from an automatic gun at him.
 
Trial Chamber Chairwoman Snjezana Kudric said that the District Prosecution had proved without doubt that Tarandzic and Zec were guilty of war crimes.
 
“During the course of the trial the Defence said that the indictees acted in accordance with the law and that Ramic refused to show them his identification documents and that he then also attacked them. However, it has been determined that there was no extreme necessity to use fire arms,” Kudric explained.
 
She pointed out that, on the basis of everything, it was determined that Tarandzic instigated Zec to kill Ramic.
 
“The Chamber has considered the passage of time, the fact that they are family men, that their financial status is rather bad, that they have not been sentenced before, as well as their correct behavior during the trial as mitigating circumstances,” Kudric said.
 
The parties have the right to appeal the verdict with the Supreme Court of Republika Srpska.