UN’s war crimes tribunal for the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s today sentenced a member of a legal team defending a Bosnian Serb to 12 months’ imprisonment for contempt of the court. Jelena Rašic follows her conviction last Tuesday of having “knowingly and willfully” interfered with the administration of justice by procuring false witness statements in exchange for money. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) stated that “the crimes which Jelena Rašic has admitted to having committed are grave. Procurement of false evidence in any situation amounts to direct interference with the administration of justice. When perpetrated before an international criminal jurisdiction, such as the Tribunal, such interference has far-reaching consequences.” Rašic was the case manager on the defense team of Milan Lukic, a Bosnian Serb who was sentenced in 2010 by the trial chamber to life imprisonment for crimes committed in the eastern Bosnian town of Višegrad. She has pleaded guilty to five counts of contempt of court, including obtaining a false witness statement from Zuhdija Tabakovic in exchange for €1,000 in cash. Rašic was also convicted of inciting Mr. Tabakovic to offer bribes and to procure false witness statements from two other individuals. Mr. Tabakovic accepted and on 15 March 2010 was convicted of contempt of the tribunal and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Rasic (ICTY PHOTO Above) will actually have the last 8 months of her sentence suspended, and she has already server over 2 months at the ICTY detention center. Below is part of the ICTY’s Statement and also links to the full judgment. Also See Film Report –“General Perisic Verdict & Sentencing”- diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/general-perisic-verdict-sentencing/28463 Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey - FOLLOW @MuhamedSacirbey Facebook-Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect”





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 BosniaTV Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/bosnia WarCrimesJustice Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice Link to ICTY Full Statement & Judgment: - icty.org/sid/10910 In rendering its Judgement, the Chamber found that “[t]he crimes which Jelena Rašić has admitted to having committed are grave. Procurement of false evidence in any situation amounts to direct interference with the administration of justice. When perpetrated before an international criminal jurisdiction, such as the Tribunal, such interference has far-reaching consequences.” In determining that it would be appropriate to suspend the remaining 8 months of Rašić’s sentence, the Trial Chamber took into account the difficult circumstances engendered by her being the only female detainee in the United Nations Detention Unit, Rašić’s health condition, her comparably young age and the fact that this is the first time she has received a prison sentence. Rašić will not have to serve the last 8 months of her sentence unless she is convicted for another crime punishable with imprisonment, including contempt of court, during two years counted from today, 7 February 2012. On or about 18 October 2008, Rašić approached Zuhdija Tabaković with a request to sign a pre-written statement even though he did not witness the events nor did he have any knowledge of the events described in the statement. Once Tabaković signed the statement and the signature was certified at the Novi Grad Municipality building in Sarajevo on 20 October 2008, Rašić gave Tabaković an envelope containing 1,000 euros and stated he would be paid more money once he testified. A summary of the statement then appeared on the witness summary list filed by the Defence for Milan Lukić in November 2008 and was provided to OTP in full in January 2009. Rašić was also convicted of inciting Tabaković to offer bribes and to procure false witness statements from two other individuals. Rašić presented Tabaković with two other pre-written statements asking him to find two men to sign them and testify in return for a payment of 1,000 Euros. Tabaković found two men willing to do so and on 23 October 2008, Rašić met the two men and accompanied them to the Novi Grad Municipality building where she completed the statements. Once their signatures were certified, the two men were given envelopes containing money by an associate of Rašić. Zuhdija Tabaković was convicted of Contempt of the Tribunal on 15 March 2010 and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Link to ICTY Full Statement & Judgment: - icty.org/sid/10910