The trial panel of Section I for War Crimes of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) announced its verdict in the Neđo Samardžić case today, finding the accused guilty of the criminal offense of Crime against humanity, and sentencing him to a single sentence of 13 years and 4 months imprisonment.

This is the first verdict handed down in a war crimes case in which the indictment was confirmed and trial conducted after the establishment of Section I for War Crimes.

Having determined a sentence of 12 years imprisonment in connection with the offenses for which the accused was convicted in these proceedings, the trial panel took into account a previous sentence which the  accused has not served (1 year, 10 months and 24 days), which was ordered by the Superior Court in Mostar on 22 June 1990.

The panel found the accused guilty on four counts, for the following offenses:

• Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law (Article 172(1)(e) of the Criminal Code of BiH) – two counts, and
• Coercing another by force or by threat of immediate attack upon his life or limb, or the life or limb of a person close to him, to sexual intercourse or an equivalent sexual act (rape) and sexual slavery (Article 172(1)(g) of the Criminal Code of BiH) – two counts.

The offenses of which the accused was convicted were committed in the period April 1992 – March 1993 in, among other locations, the Rataje village and in the so-called Karaman’s house in Miljevina, municipality of Foča.

The time the accused has spent in custody since 19 October 2004 will count towards the sentence.