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Press Release. Communiqué de presse
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)
The Hague, 10 July 2002
CC/P.I.S./687e
TRANSFER OF RADOVAN STANKOVIC
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) confirms that today, 10 July, Radovan Stankovic was transferred to the UN Detention Unit in The Hague, following his detention by SFOR forces in the Foca area on 9 July 2002.
Radovan Stankovic (born on 10 March 1969) was originally charged in an Indictment confirmed on 26 June 1996, along with seven other accused:
Dragan Gagovic and Janko Janjic are deceased.
Dragoljub Kunarac, Radomir Kovac and Zoran Vukovic, were tried in a joint trial which commenced on 20 March 2000 (see press release 478e). On 22 February 2001, the Trial Chamber rendered its Judgement, convicting Dragoljub Kunarac to 28 years’ imprisonment, Radomir Kovac to 20 years’ imprisonment and Zoran Vukovic to 12 years’ imprisonment. These sentences were affirmed by the
Appeals Chamber on 12 June 2002 (see press release 679e).
The two other accused remain at large.
An amended Indictment against Radovan Stankovic was filed on 5 October 1999. The Indictment alleges that, following the take-over of Foca in April 1992 by Serb forces, military police accompanied by local and non-local soldiers started arresting Muslim and Croat inhabitants. During the arrests many civilians were killed, beaten or subjected to sexual assault. Muslim women, children
and the elderly were detained in houses, apartments and motels in the town of Foca and in surrounding villages, or at short and long-term detention centres such as Buk Bijela, Foca High School and Partizan Sports Hall. Many of the detained women were subjected to humiliating and degrading conditions of life, to brutal beatings and to sexual assaults, including rapes. Besides the above
mentioned places of detention, several woman were detained in houses and apartments used as brothels, operated by groups of soldiers, mostly paramilitary.
According to the Indictment, Radovan Stankovic, who belonged to a Serb elite paramilitary unit, "was in charge of Karaman’s house in Miljevina, where Muslim women were detained and sexually assaulted, including raped".
Charges
The Indictment charges Radovan Stankovic on the basis of his individual criminal responsibility (Article 7(1) of the Statute) with:
Two counts of violations of the laws or customs of war (Article 3 – rape; outrages upon personal dignity), and
Two counts of crimes against humanity (Article 5 – enslavement; rape).
The initial appearance of Radovan Stankovic will be announced in due course.
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