The twentieth anniversary of crimes committed by the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, in Ahmici village, near Vitez, where 116 civilians were killed, was marked in Stari Vitez and Ahmici.
In its sixth year of operation, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber for War Crimes sentenced 15 persons to a total of 156 years in prison, and acquitted seven, while the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina claims that they are also investigating one thousand suspects over war crimes offences.
The defence for Ante Kovac claims much of the blame for the crimes with which he is charged lies with a person who has already been sentenced by The Hague.
Guilt admission agreements concluded with war-crimes indictees are a source of controversy formany people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including legal experts who believe the practice often does not help determine the truth.
In 2007, the Court of BiH ordered custody for 29 war crimes suspects, some of whom were eventually indicted, while others were released without charge.