The Hague, 20 November 1996 (RFE/RL) - The prosecution at the Hague War Crimes Tribunal requested today a 10-year prison sentence for a Bosnian Croat who admitted taking part in the massacre of 1,200 Muslims near the Bosnian town of Srebrenica last year.
In requesting the sentence, U.S. prosecutor Mark Harmon said the judges should take into consideration the "substantial assistance" Drazen Erdemovic had given the tribunal. Erdemovic, who pleaded guilty in May, in July testified against Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic, who have both been indicted with genocide for commanding Serb forces at Srebrenica.
The judges are expected to reach a decision on Erdemovic's sentence in no more than two weeks. Erdemovic will be the first war criminal, to be sentenced by the U.N. tribunal since it was set up by the U.N. Security Council in 1993.
In requesting the sentence, U.S. prosecutor Mark Harmon said the judges should take into consideration the "substantial assistance" Drazen Erdemovic had given the tribunal. Erdemovic, who pleaded guilty in May, in July testified against Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic, who have both been indicted with genocide for commanding Serb forces at Srebrenica.
The judges are expected to reach a decision on Erdemovic's sentence in no more than two weeks. Erdemovic will be the first war criminal, to be sentenced by the U.N. tribunal since it was set up by the U.N. Security Council in 1993.