Appeals judgement for Vidoje Blagojević and Dragan Jokić to be rendered on 9 May 2007

The Appeals Chamber will render its judgment for former Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) officers Vidoje Blagojević and Dragan Jokić on Wednesday, 9 May at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom I.



As former commander of the Bratunac Brigade of the VRS, Vidoje Blagojević was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment by the Trial Chamber in January 2005. He was convicted of complicity to commit genocide by aiding and abetting the genocide of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. In addition, he was convicted of aiding and abetting the persecutions, killings and forcible transfer of the
Bosnian Muslim population of the Srebrenica enclave.



Dragan Jokić, former Chief of Engineering of the Zvornik Brigade of the VRS, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for aiding and abetting the murders, extermination and persecutions of Bosnian Muslim men committed at Orahovac, Pilica/Branjevo Military Farm, and Kozluk. He was convicted of providing engineering resources and personnel to be used to dig mass graves for the executed
victims.



Defence for both accused as well as the Prosecution lodged appeals against the Trial Chamber judgement. The Prosecution filed its appeal brief on 9 May 2005. Vidoje Blagojević's appeals brief was filed on 20 October 2005 and the third amended appellate brief of Dragan Jokić was filed on 6 July 2006. The appeals hearing took place on 5 and 6 December 2006.

The judgment hearing will be broadcast live on the ICTY website.

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Full text of the Trial Chamber judgement can be found at:

http://www.un.org/icty/blagojevic/trialc/judgement/index.htm

All proceedings can be followed on the Tribunal's website www.un.org/icty.

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All proceedings can be followed on the Tribunal's website www.un.org/icty