Dutch will not charge Srebrenica commander

11 years ago | Posted in: Laws | 888 Views

PROSECUTORS in the Netherlands say they will not pursue charges against three former Dutch commanders accused of failing to protect Bosnian Muslims during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

Survivors of the massacre, the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II, had attempted to have the officers face a genocide and war crimes complaint.

Srebrenica had been a UN-designated “safe haven” shielded by Dutch troops, but in July 1995 it was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces who loaded thousands of men and boys onto trucks, executed them and threw their bodies into mass graves.

But the Dutch prosecutors said there was “no evidence which obliges them to conduct further inquiries”.

“Based on the examination of the facts, the Public Prosecution Service concludes that no criminal charges may be filed against (commander) Thom Karremans, (his deputy) Rob Franken and (personnel officer) Berend Oosterveen,” for the death of three Muslims during the massacre, the statement said.

The complaint was made by Hasan Nuhanovic, who lost his parents and younger brother in the massacre, and Mehida, Damir and Alma Mustafic, the widow and children of victim Rizo Mustafic.

Nuhanovic, then 27, was employed as a translator for the Dutch UN contingent and Mustafic as an electrician. The victims sought safety with Dutch troops, but the plaintiffs say they were forced to flee into the hands of the Bosnian Serb army.

Share it.

Leave a Reply

Related Posts