Europe - Friday, December 5, 2008 8:28 - 0 Comments

Bosnian Croat accused of 1992 war crimes against Serbs is Sentenced

Bosnian immigrant Mirsad Repak was sentenced to five years in prison for committing war crimes against 11 Serbian citizens imprisoned during the Bosnian War. Repak, who has lived Norway for more than 10 years, was also ordered to pay damages to the families of eight Serbian victims, but was acquitted on the charges of rape and crimes against humanity.

Charges
Mirsad Repak stands charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and rape. According to the prosecution most of the crimes were committed in the Dretelj detention camp in Southern Bosnia, which was known for the brutality of its guards. Repak pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges. He insisted that he was only following orders. Repak could face up to 21 years in prison. The trial is expected to last eight weeks.

Mirsad Repak (42), a former member of a Croatian paramilitary organization, came to Norway in 1993 as an asylum seeker and obtained Norwegian citizenship in 2001. The court will have to decide whether the Norwegian judicial system has the right to try a person who did not hold Norwegian citizenship at the time the alleged crimes were committed. Continue…