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CC/PIO/086-E
The Hague, 10 June 1996
ACCUSED ZLATKO ALEKSOVSKI ARRESTED
Today, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was notified by the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs of the arrest of Zlatko ALEKSOVSKI by the Croatian Police on 8 June 1996 in Split.
Zlatko ALEKSOVSKI is one of the six persons named in the indictment "Lasva Valley" issued by the Tribunal on 10 November 1995. General Tihomir BLASKIC, also named in this indictment, surrendered himself voluntarily on 3 April 1996.
BACKGROUND ON THE INDICTMENT
This indictment arose out of the investigation into"the persecution on political, racial and religious grounds of the Bosnian Muslim population" of the Lasva Valley area (Central Bosnia) between May 1992 and May 1993.
ALEKSOVSKI is accused of GRAVE BREACHES and VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR in his capacity as a commander of the detention facility at Koanik.
Zlatko ALEKSOVSKI, born on 8 January 1960 in Pakrac (Croatia), became in January 1993 the commander of the detention facility at Koanik, near Busovaca prior to becoming, in May 1993, the Head of the District HVO "Heliodrom" prison of Mostar.
The indictment alleges that "Many of the detainees under his control were subjected to inhumane treatment, including, but not limited to, excessive and cruel interrogation, physical and psychological harm, forced labour (digging trenches), in hazardous circumstances, being used as human shields and some were murdered or otherwise killed".
THE PROCEDURE
Croatia has commenced the appropriate procedure according to the Constitutional Act on the Co-operation of the Republic of Croatia with the Tribunal, adopted on 19 April 1996.
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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