Alija Osmic, who was sentenced to three years in prison for having committed crimes against prisoners of war in Bugojno in 1993 and 1994, has been released conditionally.
Although they were sentenced for the gravest of crimes, including war crimes, the law allows convicts to become citizens with no previous convictions after they have served their imprisonment sentences.
The Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Alija Osmic to three years of prison for war crimes committed against prisoners of war in Bugojno in 1993 and 1994.
Osmic was found guilty of physically and mentally abusing imprisoned members of the Croatian Defence Council held in a garage in the village of Donjici, Marxist Centre and offices of the BH Bank in Bugojno.
The retrial of Alija Osmic, who is charged with crimes in Bugojno in 1993 and 1994, begins with the reading of the indictment and hearing statements given by two State Prosecution witnesses.
The retrial of Alija Osmic for crimes committed in Bugojno before the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is due to begin on April 26.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Defence of Alija Osmic present their appeals to a verdict of March this year under which Osmic was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for crimes in Bugojno.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina will render a verdict on June 8 against Osman Sego for crimes committed against Croat detainees in Bugojno in 1993, after he reached a plea deal with the prosecution.
After Alija Osmic failed to attend the pronouncement of the first instance verdict, under which he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, he was arrested on March 4, BIRN-Justice Report was told by the State Court.
Under a first instance verdict pronounced by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Osmic has been sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for crimes committed against Bosnian Croats in Bugojno.