Local Justice – Kecman: Appeal Rejected

In late December 2008 Zeljko Kecman appealed a verdict pronounced by the Supreme Court of FBiH, under which he was found guilty of war crimes against civilians and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina determined that “the right to a fair trial was not violated”, adding that the verdict was clear and that it satisfied the fair trial standards as set out under the European Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Under a first instance verdict passed down by the Trial Chamber of the Cantonal Court in Bihac, Kecman was pronounced guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Following an appellate procedure and retrial held before the Supreme Court of FBiH, Kecman’s sentence was reduced to 14 years.

Kecman, former member of the Sixth Sana Brigade of VRS, was pronounced guilty of having violated the provisions of the Geneva Convention on protection of civilian persons in time of war as part of a widespread and systematic attack by the VRS against the Bosniak civilian population in Sanski Most municipality in the second part of June 1992.

The verdict alleges that Kecman mistreated and killed captives Hasan Merdanovic, Ekrem Merdanovic and Hilmo Keranovic in Hrustova village, Sanski Most municipality. The verdict further says that Kecman started beating the three captives with his legs and hands without any reason, took them away one after the other and fired several bullets at the three civilians from a revolver, causing them deadly injuries.M.B.