Mladic’s ‘days numbered’; Norway Not the Safest Haven for War Crimes Suspects; ECHR Overturns Latvian WWII War Crimes Case

by Sarah Benczik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BELGRADE, Serbia – While the Hague awaits Radovan Karadzic’s extradition, Serbia and Republika Srpska rumble with the protests of Serbs carrying pictures of Karadich and signs saying “Serb hero” and “We are with you.” 

“Maybe he made some wrong moves, but he was our leader,” says a Serbian English teacher, “and we accepted him.” 

While all eyes focus on Karadzic, his number-one, Ratko Mladic remains at large.  In fact, say some reports, it was Mladic who gave Karadzic away “to save himself” – possibly from appearing before the ICTY.  According to the Daily Telegraph, a source close to the BND reported that “Mladic is determined to avoid going on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at the Hague. . . Instead he wants to face proceedings at a local court in Serbia.”

Mladic, as commander of Karadzic’s military, has been charged by the ICTY with 13 counts of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws of war on the basis of his individual and superior criminal responsibility.  Some of the more notorious instances include the 44-month siege on Sarajevo, the Srebrenica massacre, and generally participating “in a joint criminal enterprise” seeking the “elimination or permanent removal, by force or other means, of Bosnian Muslim, Bosnian Croat, or other non-Serb inhabitants from large areas of [Bosnia and Herzegovia].”  ICTY brought its first indictment against Mladic in 1995, jointly against Karadzic.

While it was expected that Mladic would be arrested before Karadzic due to better intelligence on his whereabouts, it seems clear now that Mladic’s insider support is even stronger than Karadzic’s.  Both men were assumed protected by Serb intelligence officials, but Mladic may also enjoy a shield erected by parts of the Serb army.  Along with the posters, protests, and fliers supporting Karadzic, Mladic’s photograph has been adorned with the words “We will not betray you.”

According to the Daily Telegraph, Serbian intelligence sources report that “the latest analysis is that he is living in an urban environment in Serbia with two security guards who are under orders to shoot him before he is captured.”

Many European officials expect Mladic’s arrest “within weeks.”

“He’s now completely isolated,” said Paddy Ashdown, former Bosnian UN Representative.  “His days must be numbered.”

For more information, please see:

BalkanInsight.com – ‘Mladic Betrayed Karadzic’ reports UK Daily - 24 July 2008

Radio Netherlands - Serbs march in support of Karadzic - 26 July 2008

Southeast European Times – War crimes fugitive: Ratko Mladic - 25 July 2008

Telegraph – Ratko Mladic gave up ally Radovan Karadzic to save himself - 23 July 2008

Telegraph – Radovan Karadzic ally General Ratko Mladic will ‘commit suicide rather than face justice’ – 24 July 2008

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OSLO, Norway – Near the end of August 2008, Norway will begin its first war crimes trial since WWII against a 41-year-old Norwegian citizen charged with rape, torture, illegal internment of civilians and crimes against humanity.  Seeking asylum, the accused came to Norway in 1993 after active service for the Croat HOS, which fought against Serb forces.  Now, further archive checks have raised concern that others came to Norway seeking asylum after committing similar atrocities.

Refugees from the Balkan region were granted group protection during the early 1990s.  According to Aftenposten,  Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reports that around 70 persons granted residence are suspected of war crimes in the Balkans and elsewhere.

"We'll be looking more closely at a handful of cases," said Director of Public Prosecutions Pål Lønseth.  In early July, Lønseth commented: "Norway has been considered by some to be a safe haven for war criminals. This indictment should indicate that this is not the case…We can expect many more such cases in the years to come."

For more information, please see:

Aftenposten – First war crimes trial in Norway since World War II -  - 11 July 2008

Aftenposten – Archive checks reveal more war crimes suspects – 21 July 2008

BIRN – Norway: War Crimes Suspects Held – 10 May 2007

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STRASBOURG, France – On Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) overturned a series of judgments made by Latvian courts against Vassili Makarovich Kononov.  Kononov had been accused of war crimes.

Latvia had convicted Kononov, who is now 84, of war crimes for killing nine people and burning buildings in the villiage of Mazie Bati.  His targets were alleged Nazi collaborators who he said “were caught in the crossfire” between his band of resistance fighters and the Nazis.  Other reports indicate that they were deliberately targeted for harboring and accepting Nazi weapons.

Kononov was arrested in 1998 and sentenced to six years in prison.  In 2004, after litigation and appeals, his sentence was reduced, but he filed an appeal at the ECHR. 

The ECHR overturned the rulings in a 4- 3 decision, citing the inappropriate application of international conventions adopted in 1949 and 1977 to Kononov’s actions, which took place in 1944.  It also awarded Kononov 30,000 euros in damages.

For more information, please see:

RIA Novosti – Strasbourg court orders Latvia to compensate WWII veteran – 2 – 24 July 2008

Baltic Times – Latvian war crimes case overturned on technicality – 25 July 2008

The Moscow Times – Latvian World War II Veteran Wins Appeal to Rights Court – 28 July 2008