On 24 February 2023 the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered and pronounced a Trial Judgment in the case of Jure Kordić et al., finding the accused Jure Kordić, Dražan Lovrić and Nedžad Tinjak guilty that, as members of the HVO, on their own or together with other soldiers, they acted in violation of the basic principles of international humanitarian law by taking part in an unlawful abduction and/or detention of Bosniak civilians from the territory of Mostar, the accused Kordić also in the inhuman treatment of civilians, and the accused Tinjak in the inhuman treatment of civilians and in rape, the civilians being detainees at the Vojno camp, specifically Jure Kordić by the acts described in Section 1 a) and b) of the convicting part of the Judgment, Dražan Lovrić by the acts described in Section 2 of the convicting part of the Judgment, and Nedžad Tinjak by the acts described in Sections 2 and 3 a), b), c), d), e), f), g) and h) of the convicting part of the Judgment, whereby they committed the criminal offense of War Crimes against Civilians under Article 142(1) CC SFRY, as read with Article 22 of the Code.
The Court imposed the following sentences on the accused:
- Jure Kordić – 3 (three) years of imprisonment;
- Dražan Lovrić – 1 (one) year of imprisonment;
- Nedžad Tinjak – 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.
The same Judgment acquitted the accused Nedžad Tinjak, Dario Sušac, Nuhan Šikalo, Dario Mihalj, Stanko Škobić, Tomislav Aničić and Slavko Golemac of the charges that in the manner described in the acquittal they committed the criminal offense of Crimes against Humanity under Article 172(1)h) as read with Subparagraphs e), f), g) and k) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BiH), all in conjunction with Articles 29 and 180(1) of the Code. The Decision was made based on Article 284c) of the Criminal Procedure Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, because it was not proven that they committed the offense they were charged with.
An appeal from this Judgment may be filed with the Appellate Division Panel of the Court of BiH within 15 (fifteen) days of the day when a written copy thereof has been received.
