| Press Release | REGISTRY |
Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)
CT/P.I.S./952e
Today, 23 March 2005, Vinko Pandurevic was transferred to the Detention Unit of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Background
The indictment against Vinko Pandurevic, confirmed on 27 October 1999 and unsealed on 7 December 2001, alleges that in early July 1995 units of the Drina Corps of the Bosnian Serb Army ("VRS")’ shelled the Srebrenica "safe area" and attacked Dutch-manned United Nations observation posts located there. VRS forces subsequently entered Srebrenica.
The indictment states that by 18 July 1995 "VRS forces, under the command and control of Ratko Mladic, Radislav Krstic and Vinko Pandurevic either expelled or killed most of the members of the Bosnian Muslim population of the Srebrenica enclave. As a result of these actions, the VRS forces virtually eliminated the presence of any Bosnian Muslims in the Srebrenica enclave area, thus continuing an ethnic cleansing campaign which had begun in the spring of 1992."
According to the indictment, from 12 December 1992 through November 1996, Vinko Pandurevic was the Commander of the 1st Zvornik Light Infantry Brigade ("Zvornik Brigade") of the Drina Corps of the VRS. He was promoted to the rank of General-Major in June 1997 and was a member of the VRS General Staff until he was relieved in April 1998.
Charges
The indictment charges Vinko Pandurevic on the basis of individual criminal responsibility (Article 7(1) of the Statute) and/or alternatively superior criminal responsibility (Article 7(3) of the Statute) with:
Genocide (Article 4 of the Statute – genocide; alternatively, complicity to commit genocide), Crimes against humanity (Article 5 thereof – extermination; murder; persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds; deportation; alternatively, inhumane acts), and Violations of the laws or customs of war (Article 3 thereof – murder).
***
The full text of the indictment is available on the Tribunal’s website
www.un.org/icty. Hard copies can also be obtained from the Media Office.
*****
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
For more information, please contact our Media Office in The Hague
Tel.: +31-70-512-8752; 512-5343; 512-5356 Fax: +31-70-512-5355 - Email: press [at] icty.org ()
Follow ICTY on Twitter and Youtube