Stankovic: Aleksandar Cicmil Reinstated

08 September 2008  A Foca prison warden, dismissed over Radovan Stankovic's escape, has been reinstated.

BIRN’s Justice Report has learned that Aleksandar Cicmil, previously dismissed as a prison warden in Foca over "the responsibility for Radovan Stankovic's escape," has been reinstated.

This information was confirmed to Justice Report by several sources, including Foca prison.

Cicmil was removed by Republika Srpska (RS) Justice Minister Dzerard Selman following Radovan Stankovic's escape from the prison on 25 May 2007.

Two months before his escape, Stankovic was sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity committed in the Foca area in 1992.

The Office of the High Representative (OHR) also reacted to Cicmil's reinstatement in the Foca prison.

Principal Deputy High Representative Raffi Gregorian sent a letter to several institutions, emphasising that he was "shocked that the RS authorities have done nothing to look for Radovan Stankovic". This letter was also sent to RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik's office.

"The Office of the High Representative has received information that actions promised by Republika Srpska institutions in relation to Radovan Stankovic's escape have not been carried out in full. Raffi Gregorian informed the RS institutions about his view regarding the case and is now waiting for a reply from the institutions," OHR spokesperson Oleg Milisic told Justice Report.

Gregorian sent this letter on 4 September. Justice Report has seen this letter but it remains unavailable to the public.

The letter says, among other things, that "Radovan Stankovic's escape is a stain on the honour of Republika Srpska, in whose name he committed the crime".

"I expect certain measures to be taken", says Gregorian's letter to the institutions.

The letter also expresses concern that Sinisa Golijanin has been appointed as head of the Foca prison. Golijanin is a decertified police officer, who in 2002 was banned from performing any duties in law enforcement agencies by the International Police Task Force (IPTF),.

Along with Cicmil, nine guards have also been reinstated in the Foca Correctional Facility, who received a binding ruling from the Trebinje District Court (see http://www.bim.ba/bh/126/10/12202/).

"After the verdict of the Foca Municipal Court, an appeal was made but the Trebinje District Court confirmed the verdict, and the guards went back to their jobs on 9 July this year. They were reinstated in the posts that they held before their suspension," Justice Report was previously told by Dusko Sain, the head of the department for supervision of correctional facilities in the RS Justice Ministry.

Following Stankovic's escape, the Trebinje District Prosecutor's Office started an investigation against 11 abettors suspected of "facilitating the escape". Shortly after, the investigation was transferred to the State Prosecutor's Office. Justice Report has learned that the state prosecution is expected to press charges.