Bosnian Prosecution Urges Higher Sentence for Serb Ex-Soldier

The Bosnian prosecution on Thursday called on the state court in Sarajevo to increase the six-year sentence handed down last year to former Bosnian Serb soldier Zdravko Lubarda for crimes against humanity against Bosniaks.

Lubarda was found guilty in December 2018 of having participated in the persecution and detention of Bosniaks in the Rogatica area from late May 1992 until the end of 1993 as a member of the Bosnian Serb Army.

The prosecution also urged the court to quash the part of last year’s verdict under which Lubarda and Serb ex-policeman Ozren Planojevic were acquitted of other charges, and order a new trial.

Lubarda was acquitted last year of having been responsible for the forced disappearance of several Bosniaks, while Planojevic, a former reservist policeman, was acquitted of the physical mistreatment of detainees held at a secondary school in Rogatica and of being responsible for the disappearance of several people.

The defence called for the appeal to be rejected.