Bosnian Croat war criminal dies after drinking poison in court room when judge passes unfavorable verdict

In a dramatic turn of events, a Bosnian Croat war criminal died on Wednesday after drinking poison in a courtroom where hearing against his war crimes was taking place. United Nations (UN) judges upheld his 20-year jail term for his crimes committed against humanity in the Bosnian war of the 90s.

After the judges upheld a 20-year jail term originally imposed in 2013, Slobodan Praljak, 72—a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat Statelet– shouted out angrily; “Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict.”

He then raised a small brown bottle to his lips and tipped its contents into his mouth in full view of the public and cameras which were filming the appeal hearing for the six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders.

Praljak’s lawyer then shouted; ‘my client says he has taken poison’. After that the hearing was quickly adjourned and the courtroom plunged into a state of chaos.

According to Croatia’s state-run news agency, Praljak died in the hospital shortly after being taken there.

Hearing resumed after a few hours amid confusion and presiding judge Carmel Agius revealed that Dutch authorities had already launched an investigation into the case.

“Courtroom one is now a crime scene,” Agius said, but giving no details on what had happened to Praljak except to say he was not in court.

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar’s 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said “caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population”.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=55707

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