Lawyers’ action: Croatia: Velimir Zecevic, retired judge

Velimir Zecevic, a retired judge of Serbian ethnic origin, is shortly to be tried by the military court of Split on charges of undermining the territorial unity of the Republic of Croatia, an offence punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment. He and 12 others were indicted on 12 December 1992. AI is concerned about reports that he was beaten by police. Certain aspects of the charges also concern AI: he did not receive a copy of the indictment for over two weeks after the indictment; some of the charges in the indictment concern activities which allegedly took place before the introduction of the Croatian Criminal Code; the charges involve the use of force but there is no evidence of actual use of force; the other defendants are to be tried in absentia.

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