Galic, Martic

By IWPR reporters in The Hague (TU No 477, 17-Nov-06)

Galic, Martic

By IWPR reporters in The Hague (TU No 477, 17-Nov-06)

Saturday, 18 November, 2006
IWPR

IWPR

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

Galic, a former commander of the Sarajevo Romanija Corps, was sentenced in December 2003 to 20 years imprisonment for his role in spreading terror among the Sarajevo civilian population between 1992 and 1994.



During his tenure, the Sarajevo Romanija Corps implemented a military strategy that employed shelling and sniping to kill and wound thousands of civilians, according to the indictment.



The trial chamber found Galic guilty of one count of violating the laws or customs of war and four counts of crime against humanity.



Both the prosecution and defence appealed the trial chamber's 2003 decision, claiming that the sentence was inconsistent with Galic’s actions in Sarajevo.



The defence team has asked that Galic either be acquitted, have a retrial or that the appeals chamber reduce his sentence. The prosecution has described the 20-year sentence as "entirely inappropriate" and has asked that it be increased to life imprisonment.



***



The trial of the former leader of the rebel Serb authorities in Croatia, Milan Martic, is expected to end in January 2007.



The defence and the prosecution will deliver their closing arguments on January 10 and 11.



Martic, the former president of Republic of Serbian Krajina, RSK, is charged with overseeing the killing of hundreds of Croat, Muslim and other non-Serb civilians, including women and the elderly, in Croatia and Bosnia.



He is also accused of enabling the prolonged, routine and torturous imprisonment of non-Serbs, and unlawfully attacking Zagreb and undefended Croat and Muslim villages.



His trial began on December 13, 2005.
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