Mladen Markac
Encyclopedia
Mladen Markač is a former Croatia
n military
officer
. He was a Commander of Croatian Special Police during Operation Storm
during the Croatian War of Independence
(1991-1995), and afterwords held the rank of Colonel General
. Later, he was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) for war crimes committed during Operation Storm by Croatian forces against the Serbs
from Croatia. In April 2011 the ICTY found him guilty and sentenced him to 18 years.
(SFRY). In 1981, he graduated from the University of Zagreb
, and in 1982, he completed his compulsory military service. He then joined the police force of the SFRY Ministry of the Interior.
In 1990, Markač and others established a police unit for special tasks in the Ministry of the Interior. He was appointed Deputy Commander and in late 1990, this unit became the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit. In 1991, Mladen Markač was appointed the head of the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit. In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel General
(reserve).
As Commander of the Special Police, Markač controlled all members of the Special Police who were involved in Operation Storm
and the related continuing operations in that region. The participating Special Police force was composed of individuals from special purpose units, including the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, the Special Police logistics department and a Ministry of Interior communications company, as well as individuals from Special Police units from various District Police Administrations throughout Croatia.
According to the ICTY indictment, he could command his subordinates, and also had the material ability to prevent persons under his authority from committing crimes and to punish his subordinates for any crimes that they committed. He also had the ability to recommend or propose disciplinary measures against members of the Croatian Army who were subordinated to his command during the operation.
in the Hague on charges of operating a joint criminal enterprise for the purpose of permanently removing the Serb population from the Krajina by force and of crimes against humanity.
On March 11, 2004, Mladen Markač voluntarily surrendered and was transferred to the ICTY in The Hague.
On April 15, 2011, Mladen Markač was found guilty by the ICTY and sentenced to 18 years in jail for war crimes including murder, persecution and plunder.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
. He was a Commander of Croatian Special Police during Operation Storm
Operation Storm
Operation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
during the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
(1991-1995), and afterwords held the rank of Colonel General
Colonel General
Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
. Later, he was indicted by the 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) for war crimes committed during Operation Storm by Croatian forces against the Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
from Croatia. In April 2011 the ICTY found him guilty and sentenced him to 18 years.
Early life and career
Mladen Markač was born in 1955 in Đurđevac, in the Republic of Croatia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
(SFRY). In 1981, he graduated from the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
, and in 1982, he completed his compulsory military service. He then joined the police force of the SFRY Ministry of the Interior.
In 1990, Markač and others established a police unit for special tasks in the Ministry of the Interior. He was appointed Deputy Commander and in late 1990, this unit became the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit. In 1991, Mladen Markač was appointed the head of the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit. In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel General
Colonel General
Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
(reserve).
Croatian War
On February 18, 1994, Mladen Markač was appointed Commander of the Special Police of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia (the "Special Police"), which gave him overall authority and responsibility for the operation and functioning of the Special Police. He was also Assistant Minister of the Interior for Special Police.As Commander of the Special Police, Markač controlled all members of the Special Police who were involved in Operation Storm
Operation Storm
Operation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
and the related continuing operations in that region. The participating Special Police force was composed of individuals from special purpose units, including the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, the Special Police logistics department and a Ministry of Interior communications company, as well as individuals from Special Police units from various District Police Administrations throughout Croatia.
According to the ICTY indictment, he could command his subordinates, and also had the material ability to prevent persons under his authority from committing crimes and to punish his subordinates for any crimes that they committed. He also had the ability to recommend or propose disciplinary measures against members of the Croatian Army who were subordinated to his command during the operation.
Indictment and trial
He has been indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former YugoslaviaInternational 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...
in the Hague on charges of operating a joint criminal enterprise for the purpose of permanently removing the Serb population from the Krajina by force and of crimes against humanity.
On March 11, 2004, Mladen Markač voluntarily surrendered and was transferred to the ICTY in The Hague.
On April 15, 2011, Mladen Markač was found guilty by the ICTY and sentenced to 18 years in jail for war crimes including murder, persecution and plunder.