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Sweden prosecutor brings war crimes charges aginst former Bosnian prison guard

By Sarah Paulsworth

[JURIST] Sweden's international prosecutor Magnus Elving unveiled war crimes charges Tuesday against Swedish citizen and former Bosnian prison guard Ahmet Makitan. Makitan is accused [AP report] of violating the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War [text, PDF] by kidnapping people and torturing and insulting prisoners at a camp in Dretelj, Bosnia-Herzegovina, during the Balkan War [JURIST news archive]. Twenty-one victims subjected to mistreatment by Makitan have been named [The Local report] in the indictment. Makitan arrived in Sweden in 2001 and obtained citizenship in 2006. The charges are the result of an investigation carried out by Sweden's National War Crimes Commission, which was created in 2008, and Makitan has been in police custody since January. Questions have arisen regarding the ability to prosecute [Sveriges Radio report, in Swedish] Makitan for war crimes within the framework of Sweden's domestic legislation. Makitan's trial will start on October 13 and should last approximately five months.

In addition to the Makitan case, Sweden is also considering litigation in several other war crimes cases. In June, Sweden announced [JURIST report] its intention to investigate the possible role of Lundin Petroleum [corporate website] in crimes against humanity committed in Sudan from 1997 to 2003. The investigation will examine allegations made in a report [text, PDF] released by the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan (ECOS) [advocacy website], which alleged that Sudanese troops attacked and displaced civilians so that Lundin could have access to land for oil drilling. In April, Swedish Police [official website] arrested [press release, in Swedish] a Kosovo war crimes suspect. The suspect is accused [JURIST report] of committing war crimes during the 1998-1999 Kosovo war [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] in the small village of Cuska in May 1999. A Swedish police spokesperson did not release the man's full name because of Swedish privacy laws but did state that the suspect is a Serbian man in his 30s [AFP/SW report].

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on October 05, 2010 (boomark / email).