General Cermak Released from Hague’s Detention

General Ivan Cermak has been released from the Hague’s detention for a three week’s ‘holiday’. He is currently residing in his chateau.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Croatian General Ivan Cermak has replaced the sombre prison cells in The Hague with the green surroundings of Croatia’s Zagorje area for three weeks. The Hague tribunal has approved the request of Cermak’s attorneys for his temporary release. Although the information was not officially confirmed from The Hague tribunal, we learnt that Cermak will spend three weeks under house arrest in his chateau near Krapinske toplice. Apparently, the Croatian general, who is known to the Croatian public for his oil business, has been staying in chateau for two days now, but is not permitted to leave it.

Gotovina and Markac still in the Hague 

On the other hand, the attorneys of Croatian generals Mladen Markac and Ante Gotovina did not even request summer holidays for their clients because war crimes tribunal probably would not approve it due to their past behaviour.

Gotovina had been a fugitive for years and last year not even the government’s guarantees for temporary discharge helped him. Markac, on the other hand, violated the terms of house arrest after he was photographed boar hunting with former interior minister Ivica Kirin. After the media got hold of the photographs, Markac was immediately transferred to the Hague’s cell.

Cermak and Markac have been indicted for taking part in a joint criminal endeavour whose goal was the forceful and permanent removal of the Serb population from the Krajina region, as well as looting, destroying and damaging the property of the Serb population to stop them from returning to the area. The two generals are indicted on three counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of violating the rules and customs of war.