Goran Jelisic
Encyclopedia
Goran Jelisić (born June 7, 1968 in Bijeljina
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Yugoslavia
) is a Bosnian Serb who was charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and with violating the customs of war by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY).
He moved to Brčko
after completing high school, to work as a machinery technician. During May 1992, Jelisić held a position at the Luka camp.
Jelisić was apprehended by a Team of US Navy SEALs (as a NATO SFOR
Team) in January 1998, and faced trial for one count of genocide, sixteen counts of violating the customs of war and fifteen counts of crimes against humanity in relation to his involvement in the inhumane treatment and systematic killing of detainees at the Luka camp, where he was alleged to have, every day, "entered Luka’s main hangar, where most detainees were kept, selected detainees for interrogation, beat them and then often shot and killed them".
In 1999, he pleaded guilty to the charges of crimes against humanity and violating the customs of war. He was acquitted on the charge of genocide as the court did not believe the prosecution had proved this beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment. The same sentence was confirmed by the appeals chamber.
On 29 May 2003, Jelisić was transferred to Italy
to serve the remainder of his sentence with credit for time served since his arrest on 22 January 1998.
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) is a Bosnian Serb who was charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and with violating the customs of war by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
(ICTY).
He moved to Brčko
Brcko (city)
Brčko is a city in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, administrative seat of the Brčko District. It lies on the country's border along the Sava river across from Gunja, Croatia...
after completing high school, to work as a machinery technician. During May 1992, Jelisić held a position at the Luka camp.
Jelisić was apprehended by a Team of US Navy SEALs (as a NATO SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
Team) in January 1998, and faced trial for one count of genocide, sixteen counts of violating the customs of war and fifteen counts of crimes against humanity in relation to his involvement in the inhumane treatment and systematic killing of detainees at the Luka camp, where he was alleged to have, every day, "entered Luka’s main hangar, where most detainees were kept, selected detainees for interrogation, beat them and then often shot and killed them".
In 1999, he pleaded guilty to the charges of crimes against humanity and violating the customs of war. He was acquitted on the charge of genocide as the court did not believe the prosecution had proved this beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment. The same sentence was confirmed by the appeals chamber.
On 29 May 2003, Jelisić was transferred to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to serve the remainder of his sentence with credit for time served since his arrest on 22 January 1998.