A UN war crimes court on Tuesday granted the early release of a former Bosnian Serb police commander convicted and jailed for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
Despite "the gravity of the crimes" for which Ljubomir Borovcanin was sentenced to 17 years in prison, the presiding judge of the Yugoslav war crimes court based in The Hague agreed he could be freed.
Borovcanin, the deputy commander of a special Bosnian Serb police unit sent to take part in the Srebrenica genocide, was found guilty and sentenced in June 2010 to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He was later transferred to a prison in Denmark. Together with the time he spent behind bars after his arrest in April 2005 and during his trial, he has become eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his term.
Borovcanin, 56, was among seven high-ranking Bosnian military and police officials tried by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for their roles in the massacre in which some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed, their bodies dumped in mass graves.
Two of his co-accused, Vujadin Popovic and Ljubisa Beara, were jailed for life for taking part in Europe's worst massacre since World War II. Their sentences were upheld on appeal in January 2015.
But judge Theodor Meron on Tuesday granted Borovcanin's "request for early release effective August 1, 2016 or as soon as practicable thereafter."
- 'Terror and violence' -
The crimes for which he had been convicted were of "high gravity," the judge said in his ruling, also highlighting his role in the murder and persecution of 1,000 Muslims in the Bosnian town of Kravica.
His crimes were "particularly heinous, and were part of a widespread and systematic campaign of terror and violence."
But Meron gave credit to Borovcanin for publicly admitting "that he did not do enough" to stop the murders as well as recognising the gravity of his crimes.
He had been a model prisoner in his jail in Denmark, and had also chosen, unlike most of his co-accused, not to appeal his conviction, all marks in his favour, Meron said.
He had also cooperated with the ICTY and had served two-thirds of his sentence.
These "factors, which I am duty bound to consider, all favour granting Borovcanin's request for early release," the judge wrote.
Borovcanin intends to return home to live with his wife and two sons, and "there is no risk that (he) will offend again."
A UN war crimes court on Tuesday granted the early release of a former Bosnian Serb police commander convicted and jailed for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
Despite “the gravity of the crimes” for which Ljubomir Borovcanin was sentenced to 17 years in prison, the presiding judge of the Yugoslav war crimes court based in The Hague agreed he could be freed.
Borovcanin, the deputy commander of a special Bosnian Serb police unit sent to take part in the Srebrenica genocide, was found guilty and sentenced in June 2010 to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He was later transferred to a prison in Denmark. Together with the time he spent behind bars after his arrest in April 2005 and during his trial, he has become eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his term.
Borovcanin, 56, was among seven high-ranking Bosnian military and police officials tried by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for their roles in the massacre in which some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed, their bodies dumped in mass graves.
Two of his co-accused, Vujadin Popovic and Ljubisa Beara, were jailed for life for taking part in Europe’s worst massacre since World War II. Their sentences were upheld on appeal in January 2015.
But judge Theodor Meron on Tuesday granted Borovcanin’s “request for early release effective August 1, 2016 or as soon as practicable thereafter.”
– ‘Terror and violence’ –
The crimes for which he had been convicted were of “high gravity,” the judge said in his ruling, also highlighting his role in the murder and persecution of 1,000 Muslims in the Bosnian town of Kravica.
His crimes were “particularly heinous, and were part of a widespread and systematic campaign of terror and violence.”
But Meron gave credit to Borovcanin for publicly admitting “that he did not do enough” to stop the murders as well as recognising the gravity of his crimes.
He had been a model prisoner in his jail in Denmark, and had also chosen, unlike most of his co-accused, not to appeal his conviction, all marks in his favour, Meron said.
He had also cooperated with the ICTY and had served two-thirds of his sentence.
These “factors, which I am duty bound to consider, all favour granting Borovcanin’s request for early release,” the judge wrote.
Borovcanin intends to return home to live with his wife and two sons, and “there is no risk that (he) will offend again.”
