Jankovic: Second Instance Verdict Pronounced

The Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has confirmed the verdict sentencing Gojko Jankovic to 34 years’ imprisonment for crimes against humanity.

Starting from April 1992, Jankovic led a small paramilitary formation established within the Fourth Battalion of Foca Tactical Group, in the Republika Srpska Army (VRS).

The Appellate Chamber rendered a decision acquitting Jankovic of the charge that, on several occasions between April 7 and the end of May 1992, Jankovic and one more person raped or took part in the rape of protected witness E who lived in Foca municipality.

In the course of the evidence presentation process, the Prosecution added this charge to nine others contained in the indictment against Jankovic.

The first instance verdict, pronounced in February this year, found Jankovic guilty of rape, torture and sexual slavery. The most severe crimes included the rape of 12-year-old AB in the so-called “Karaman house” in Miljevina near Foca, and the repeated rape of several young women aged 15, 16 and 17 years.

Jankovic was also found guilty of having held protected witness 186 in sexual slavery at several locations in and near Foca for a few months.

He was found guilty of having committed – in his capacity as paramilitary formation leader – the forcible deportation of the population, and the unlawful detention, murder and torture of Bosniaks from Foca municipality.

The indictment was originally filed before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). After spending eight years on the run, Jankovic surrendered in March 2005. He was then transferred to the ICTY detention unit in Scheveningen, The Hague. His case was referred to the Court of BiH on December 8, 2005.

Gojko Jankovic’s case was the second case referred by the ICTY to the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina for further processing.