Batko's Extradition Initiated
05 March 2010 Baltasar Garzon, judge with the State Court of Spain, has ordered Veselin Vlahovic, known as Batko, into custody and called for the submission of documents for the extradition process to be submitted within the next 40 days.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro have requested the extradition of Vlahovic, who is suspected in Bosnia and Herzegovina of crimes committed in Grbavica settlement in Sarajevo during the course of the war. As reported by the Spanish daily El Mundo, Vlahovic is resisting extradition.
As stated by El Mundo, once all three countries have submitted the necessary documents to Spanish authorities, a decision will be made on whether to extradite Vlahovic and to which country.
Veselin Vlahovic was arrested on the basis of an international warrant in Altea, Spain, on March 2 this year, on suspicion that he took part in "armed robberies and falsification of documents".
Jusuf Halilagic, Secretary of the Justice Ministry of Bosnia and Herzegovina, confirmed to Justice Report that Bosnia and Herzegovina has requested the extradition of Vlahovic, but he said it was not known whether he has Bosnian citizenship.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspects that Vlahovic committed "54 criminal legal actions", including murder, torture, forcible disappearances and rape of civilians in Grbavica settlement in Sarajevo.
Montenegro authorities requested the extradition of Vlahovic because of an investigation into war crimes against civilians committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The authorities of that country issued a warrant against Vlahovic in 2001, following his flight from a prison in Spuz, where he was serving a sentence for banditry and violent behaviour.
Considering the fact that the District Court in Novi sad pronounced a second instance verdict sentencing Vlahovic to seven years in prison for murder, the Ministry of Justice of Serbia announced it would file a request for his extradition.
Justice Report is a
specialist reporting agency focusing on war crimes trials taking place before
local courts; development of the local legal system; and efforts to come to
terms with the past.
Read more
TRIAL: A Slap in the Face of Justice Expectations
Bosnian authorities have failed to provide access to justice and reparations for thousands of victims of rape and other sexual violence – says a report carried out by the Swiss organisation TRIAL.
Read more
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
Komentari:
Nema komentara.