Sentence against Trbic Reduced to 20 Years

The appellate chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has reduced Milorad Trbic’s sentence from 30 to 20 years in prison. Trbic was convicted for his participation in the Srebrenica genocide.

Trbic, the former assistant chief for security with the Zvornicka Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska, was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison for his participation in the Srebrenica genocide.

In November 2014, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina revoked the verdict. Trbic had been found guilty according to the criminal code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not the criminal code of the former Yugoslavia, which was in effect at the time and the more favorable legislation in his case.

As a result, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina revoked the second instance verdict against Trbic. The court concluded that Trbic’s rights as guaranteed by the European Convention for Human Rights were violated due to the incorrect application of law in his case.

Following a new trial, the appellate chamber changed portions of the verdict referring to the sentencing and the application of law.

Trbic was found guilty of having participated in a joint criminal enterprise and operation consisting of the capture, detention, execution, burial and concealment of bodies of Bosniaks from Srebrenica, from July 10-November 30, 1995.

Trbic has been held in detention since 2005, when he surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. He was extradited to the Bosnian judiciary for further processing in April 2007.