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Serbia-Montenegro to ask for Milan Lukic’s extradition
Belgrade,
9 August 2005
Serbian Minister of Justice Zoran Stojkovic said today that Serbia-Montenegro will ask for the extradition of Milan Lukic, since he was sentenced in a Serbian court to 20 years for war crimes, but that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has priority because court proceedings against him are also being held in The Hague.
Zoran Stojkovic
Stojkovic told the Tanjug news agency that good cooperation between Serbian and international police enables better tracing of fugitives and their eventual capture. For these reasons, he added, this piece of news is not a surprise, and considering that the proceedings against Lukic had been held in Serbia and that he was sentenced to 20 years, Serbia-Montenegro will ask for his extradition.
The Minister said that the ICTY, which is also conducting proceedings against him, and which will most likely ask for his extradition, has priority over the domestic judiciary.
Serbia-Montenegro must wait for the ICTY proceedings to come to an end, and only then would it be possible to extradite him to the domestic judiciary, explained Stojkovic.
He pointed out that the arrest is of great significance and that successful cooperation is beginning to show results. He also stressed that the fugitives have fewer possibilities to hide.
The ICTY’s indictment, brought forth in November 2000, accuses Lukic, who was arrested yesterday in Buenos Aires, of crimes against humanity, murder, persecutions and inhumane acts against non-Serb civilians of the Visegrad area.
The Belgrade District Court sentenced Lukic, in absentia, on July 15, 2005 to 20 years for the following war crimes – kidnapping, torture and the murder of 16 Muslim citizens from Sjeverin, near Priboj, in October 1992.
The Minister said that the ICTY, which is also conducting proceedings against him, and which will most likely ask for his extradition, has priority over the domestic judiciary.
Serbia-Montenegro must wait for the ICTY proceedings to come to an end, and only then would it be possible to extradite him to the domestic judiciary, explained Stojkovic.
He pointed out that the arrest is of great significance and that successful cooperation is beginning to show results. He also stressed that the fugitives have fewer possibilities to hide.
The ICTY’s indictment, brought forth in November 2000, accuses Lukic, who was arrested yesterday in Buenos Aires, of crimes against humanity, murder, persecutions and inhumane acts against non-Serb civilians of the Visegrad area.
The Belgrade District Court sentenced Lukic, in absentia, on July 15, 2005 to 20 years for the following war crimes – kidnapping, torture and the murder of 16 Muslim citizens from Sjeverin, near Priboj, in October 1992.
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