Darko Mrdja Released Early

Mrdja, former member of the Public Safety Station in Prijedor, admitted guilt for having participated in the murder of more than 150 Bosniaks, who were transported by a convoy from Prijedor to Travnik, on Mount Vlasic. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2004.

On October 10 this year the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, approved Mrdja’s release to liberty from a prison in Spain, where he was serving his sentence.
As indicated in the decision, releasing him to liberty, the Spanish Minister of Internal Affairs said that Mrdja’s progress in rehabilitation was “positive”.

“A specialist working with him assesses that he is capable of leading a normal social life in his own environment,” the report says. 

Also, The Hague Tribunal President pointed out that Mrdja “has co-operated with the Prosecution significantly.” 

“Taking all the relevant data into consideration, I consider that, despite the extreme gravity of the crimes he committed, but also his admission, by which he accepted the responsibility for them, Mrdja should be released early after serving two-thirds of his sentence,” Meron said in his decision.