Dragomir Miloševic
Encyclopedia
Dragomir Milošević is a Serb war criminal and former commander of the Sarajevo-Romanija Corps (SRK) of the Army of Republika Srpska
(VRS) which besieged Sarajevo
for three years during the Bosnian war
.
as commander of the SRK on 10 August 1994 and remained in that position until the end of the war
In December 2004, he surrendered to the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY), before which he faced charges for four counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of violations of the laws or customs of war.
In the judgment summary, the Trial Chamber noted that many witnesses testified that “…there was no safe place in Sarajevo; one could be killed or injured anywhere and anytime.” Milošević “….abused his position and that he, through his orders, planned and ordered gross and systematic violations of international humanitarian law" and it was under Milošević’s command of the SRK that modified air bombs, which were “…inaccurate and served no military purpose”, were deployed. The repeated use of the weapon was considered an aggravating factor by the Trial Chamber in reaching its decision. In January of 2008, the prosecution filed an appeal to have the 33 year sentence increased to life in prison. In its appeal, the prosecution cited the use of particularly savage weapons and tactics against civilians in Sarajevo by the SRK while Milosevic was in command.
On 12 November 2009, the Tribunal Appeals Chamber partially affirmed the convictions and reduced the sentence to 29 years.
On 22 March 2011, Milošević was transported to Estonia
to serve his sentence in the prison of Tartu
.
Army of Republika Srpska
The Army of Republika Srpska ; Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian Vojska Republike Srpske ) also referred to as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of today's Republika Srpska which was then the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina", a self-proclaimed state within the internationally recognized...
(VRS) which besieged Sarajevo
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
for three years during the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
.
Background
He was an officer in the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) prior to 1992. The JNA posted Milošević to Lukavica, near Sarajevo which is where he was when the war began. He succeeded Stanislav GalićStanislav Galic
Stanislav Galić is a Bosnian Serb soldier and former commander of the Sarajevo-Romanija Corps of the Army of Republika Srpska during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was convicted of war crimes....
as commander of the SRK on 10 August 1994 and remained in that position until the end of the war
In December 2004, he surrendered to the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
(ICTY), before which he faced charges for four counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of violations of the laws or customs of war.
ICTY conviction
On 12 December 2006, Milošević was convicted on five counts of terror, murder and inhumane acts conducted during a campaign of sniping and shelling which resulted in the injury and death of a great number of civilians in the besieged Bosnian capital. Two counts of unlawful attacks against civilians were dismissed. He was sentenced to 33 years of imprisonment.In the judgment summary, the Trial Chamber noted that many witnesses testified that “…there was no safe place in Sarajevo; one could be killed or injured anywhere and anytime.” Milošević “….abused his position and that he, through his orders, planned and ordered gross and systematic violations of international humanitarian law" and it was under Milošević’s command of the SRK that modified air bombs, which were “…inaccurate and served no military purpose”, were deployed. The repeated use of the weapon was considered an aggravating factor by the Trial Chamber in reaching its decision. In January of 2008, the prosecution filed an appeal to have the 33 year sentence increased to life in prison. In its appeal, the prosecution cited the use of particularly savage weapons and tactics against civilians in Sarajevo by the SRK while Milosevic was in command.
On 12 November 2009, the Tribunal Appeals Chamber partially affirmed the convictions and reduced the sentence to 29 years.
On 22 March 2011, Milošević was transported to Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
to serve his sentence in the prison of Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
.
See also
- Siege of SarajevoSiege of SarajevoThe Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
- Bosnian genocideBosnian GenocideThe term Bosnian Genocide refers to either the genocide committed by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica in 1995 or the ethnic cleansing campaign that took place throughout areas controlled by the Bosnian Serb Army during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War....
- Serbian war crimes in the Yugoslav Wars