ICTY: Endlessly unhappy
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Appearing before the Tribunal Chamber at The Hague, Stojan Zupljanin denied the allegations contained in the indictment, which charges him, under 12 counts, with crimes committed in the Bosanska Krajina area.
The status conference, at which the trial start date shall be set, will take place no later than 120 days after the plea hearing.
“I would like to use the opportunity and say something, that I will repeat during the course of the trial. I am endlessly unhappy because of the war that happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Had I been able to prevent the war, it would have never happened. It is necessary for all of us to learn from this. We should be aware of the fact that we must and we can live together, without the need for revenge or domination. I want this process to be conducted to the very end for the sake of truth and reconciliation. I therefore plead not guilty,” Zupljanin said.
Zupljanin, who was hiding until recently, denied having had a role in a number of crimes, including the extermination, murder, torture, cruel treatment and deportation of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats from Kotor-Varos, Banja Luka, Prijedor, Sanski Most, Kljuc and Bosanski novi, in the Bosanska Krajina area.
The indictment alleges that, at the time, Zupljanin was commander of the Public Safety Center in Banja Luka and member of the Crisis Committee of the Autonomous Region of Krajina. In 1994 he allegedly became internal affairs advisor to the Republika Srpska President.
Acting on an international warrant, issued nine years ago, the Ministry of Interior of Serbia arrested Zupljanin in an apartment in Pancevo on June 11, 2008.
On July 15, 2008 the Hague Prosecution filed an indictment extension motion in Zupljanin’s case, as well as a motion asking for merging his indictment with the indictment against Mico Stanisic.
The Court has still not rendered a decision concerning this motion.
Stanisic was Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska. The indictment alleges that he was Zupljanin’s immediate superior. After having denied all ten counts, charging him with crimes against humanity, in March 2005, he has been at liberty, waiting for his trial to start.
