SERBIA: Goran Hadzic, the Croatian Serb wartime leader accused of war crimes, is extradited from Belgrade to face charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague

Record ID: 335000

  • Title: SERBIA: Goran Hadzic, the Croatian Serb wartime leader accused of war crimes, is extradited from Belgrade to face charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague
  • Date: 23rd July 2011
  • Summary: NOVI SAD, SERBIA (JULY 22, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARMED POLICE AND SECURITY GUARDING HOUSE OF HADZIC'S MOTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS STANDING ON WALL VARIOUS OF POLICE GUARDING HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURES POLICE CARS AND SPECIAL FORCES POLICEMAN GUARDING THE HOUSE POLICE VANS INSIDE HADZIC HOUSE COMPOUND SPECIAL POLICEMEN GUARDING HOUSE HADZIC GETTING WALKING FRO
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Serbia, Wallis and Futuna
  • City:
  • Country: Serbia Wallis and Futuna
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVADPVZCCFBE4HDKG3NTFKHX5WAU
  • Story Text: Suspected war criminal Goran Hadzic was extradited to face charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Friday (July 22), according to the Serbian government.
    "I inform you, that in morning hours I have signed extradition order for Goran Hadzic to be transferred to The Hague war crimes tribunal. By this act, the hardest chapter in the cooperation with The Hague tribunal, and the biggest obligations have been fulfilled," Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said shortly after noon local time.
    A police motorcade escorted Hadzic to Belgrade's airport where he was flown to The Hague in the Netherlands to face charges of crimes against humanity committed during the 1991-95 war in Croatia.
    "A couple of minutes ago, the last formalities have been finished, concerning the documents on extradition of Goran Hadzic, and at this moment, a plane is on its way to The Hague tribunal." Malovic said.
    The convoy left a special court building in Belgrade at 0620 GMT, allowing Hadzic to see his terminally ill mother in Novi Sad before his extradition.
    Hadzic's wife and son visited him in prison on Thursday (July 21), while another woman with a daughter he fathered whilst on the run made a final visit on Friday, witnesses at the courthouse said.
    Serbian security officials arrested Hadzic on Wednesday (July 20) on a forest road in the Fruska Gora national park region, about 65 km (40 miles) north of Belgrade.
    The extradition is seen as an important step towards European integration for the once pariah Balkan state.
    The European Union has insisted that Serbia arrest all wanted war criminals before it grants candidate status ahead of eventual membership. A lesser known figure from the Balkan wars, Hadzic was on the run for seven years before his arrest on Wednesday, outlasting Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic as the last suspect at large.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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