Savo Štrbac: Serb Željko Travica Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison in Osijek for Alleged War Crimes
Serb Željko Travica was today handed a first-instance 20-year prison sentence in an Osijek court for war crimes against prisoners of war in Cerić and Mirkovci in 1991, which is the harshest penalty for this type of crime in Croatia, stated the director of the Documentation and Information Center "Veritas" Savo Štrbac.
TL;DR
- Željko Travica received a 20-year prison sentence in Osijek for war crimes against prisoners of war in Cerić and Mirkovci in 1991.
- The sentence is the harshest for this type of crime in Croatia and is considered a substitute for the death penalty.
- Travica denies the charges, stating it is a fabricated process.
- He was arrested in October 2024 in Calais, France, based on a Croatian warrant.
- The defense plans to appeal the first-instance verdict, citing Travica's severe illness.
- Travica had been undergoing chemotherapy and had difficulty presenting his defense.
- The charges involve the killing of eight members of the Croatian police and HOS, and the torture of three prisoners.
- Travica lived in Croatia after the war, worked in Germany and Serbia, and resided in England before his arrest.