Tanaskovic: Prosecution Calls for 25 Years
21 August 2007 The Prosecution has asked for a long-term prison sentence while the defence has called for Nenad Tanaskovic to be released. The verdict is due to be pronounced on 24 August.
In his closing arguments, Prosecutor David Schwendiman has asked for long-term imprisonment (25 years) for Nenad Tanaskovic, who is accused of involvement in the beating up, forcible evacuation, rape and murder of civilians on the territory of Visegrad in the period from April to the end of June 1992.
The Defence has asked for a verdict of release and also placed a motion for the indictee to be released until the verdict comes into force.
Tanaskovic has pleaded not guilty "to all charges in the indictment".
"I am innocent before God and before people," he said.
The Prosecutor alleges that it has been determined that a broad and systematic attack on civilians took place on the territory of Visegrad municipality. The Prosecution considers that the indictee "readily and, even, eagerly took part" in this attack "as a soldier".
The State Prosecution believes it has proven the indictee's guilt according to all seven charges in the indictment through witness statements given during the evidence process.
The prosecutor has described the indictee as a person who "hunted and collected people", adding that "he participated in these actions with enthusiasm".
"Tanaskovic [certainly] knew what the consequences of his actions would be," the prosecutor claims.
"The witnesses' statements given during the main trial pointed to the murderous nature of his mind in the period covered by the indictment," he added.
Explaining the discrepancies between different statements given by some witnesses, the prosecutor has said that these were recollections of events that had happened 15 years ago and that the witnesses did not harmonize their statements.
The discrepancies have caused the defence to question the credibility of certain witnesses. Some statements were characterised by the Defence as "distorted recollections" which do not prove anything.
Presenting her closing arguments, defence attorney Radmila Radisavljevic has repeated that her client has an alibi for the dates mentioned in the indictment and that he, therefore, could not have taken part in these crimes.
Radisavljevic has reiterated that Tanaskovic was "a common soldier" and he "could not be responsible for the crimes charged upon him by the indictment".
The Defence considers that during the trial it was determined that Tanaskovic had not killed, raped or caused severe injuries to any person - in other words, that he had not committed a crime against humanity.
The defence has asked the court to act upon the Criminal Law of SFRY when rendering its decision. This law was in force at the time the crimes and it allows for a shorter sentence for war crimes than the current Criminal Law of BiH.
"We should not generate animosity but reconciliation. This can happen only after the truth is revealed," Radisavljevic has concluded.
The verdict against Tanaskovic is due to be handed down on 24 August.
Justice Report is a
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local courts; development of the local legal system; and efforts to come to
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