ICTY: Too Soon to Release Dragan Zelenovic from Prison

The Tribunal rendered the decision after being informed by the Ministry of Justice of Belgium, where Zelenovic is serving his sentence, that, according to Belgian law, a convict could be released early after having served one third of his sentence.

However, Patrick Robinson, President of the Tribunal, wrote in his decision that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia only considered an early release if the convict had served two thirds of his
sentence. In Zelenovic’s case this will happen on August 21, 2015.

“I consider that, although Zelenovic has demonstrated a certain, albeit limited, level of rehabilitation and certain co-operation with the Prosecution, there are still some important factors that go against his
early release. His crimes were grave. They were committed against particularly vulnerable victims. Besides that, he has still not served two thirds of his sentence,” Robinson’s decision reads.

The decision further says that Zelenovic has not commented on the materials submitted by the Belgian authorities to the Tribunal and has not asked to be released early.

Zelenovic was arrested in 2005. One year later he admitted guilt for committing torture and rape in Foca. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

M.T.