UN tribunal subpoenas ex-Prime Minister of Republika Srpska

The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has issued a subpoena ordering a former Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina to appear as a witness in an ongoing case.

Milorad Dodik is ordered to testify as a witness in the case against Radoslav Brdjanin - a former prominent member of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) and President of the Autonomous Region of Krajina (ARK) Crisis Staff. Mr. Brdjanin is charged with genocide and crimes against humanity for allegedly inciting Bosnian Serbs in Krajina "to commit crimes against their neighbours under the banner of defending the Serbian people."

Under the terms of the subpoena, Mr. Dodik, current President of the Party of Independent Social-Democrats (SNSD) in the Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is to testify starting 31 July and a wilful failure to comply would constitute contempt.

Meanwhile, Zdravko Mucic, a Bosnian Croat and former commander was released today from the Tribunals' Detention Unit after serving two-thirds of his nine-year sentence for killing, torturing, sexually assaulting, beating and otherwise subjecting Bosnian Serb detainees to cruel and inhumane treatment. He committed the crimes while in charge of Celebici prison camp, 50 kilometres from Sarajevo.

In granting the early release, ICTY President Judge Theodor Meron took into consideration the gravity of the offence as well as Mr. Zdravko's "resolve to reintegrate into society, his good physical and mental condition, his irreproachable behaviour in detention, his attachment to his family and the possibility for him to exercise a profession when released."