ZAGREB, CROATIA – Branimir Glavas was found guilty for the deaths of Serbian civilians in Osijek and was sentenced to ten years in prison by the Zagreb County Court in an invalid verdict.

Judge Zeljko Horvatovic said that Glavas was sentenced to five years according to the chain of command as the head of the Osijek Secretariat for the People`s Defence in garages where Serbian civilians were abused, and to eight years for being accessory to the murder of ten persons and one attempted murder.

Glavas was thus sentenced to ten years in prison. Ivica Krnjak was penalised with eight years in prison, Gordana Getos-Magdic with seven, while Dino Kontic, Tihomir Valentic and Zdravko Dragic were sentenced to five years each.

Te invalid verdict to Branimir Glavas, Ivica Krnjak, Gordana Getos-Magdic, Dino Kontic, Tihomir Valentic and Zdravko Dragic, charged with war crimes in the “Sellotape” case and Glavas for crimes in the “Garage” case was passed nearly four years after the first official testimonies gathered by the police and prosecution regarding the murders of Serbian civilians in Osijek in 1991.

Krunoslav Fehir, former member of the Osijek Defenders` battalion, publicly talked about the murders and accused Glavas as the person who ordered the eliminations of Serbian civilians, also confessing that he took part in the killing of one civilian.

The Croatian State Attorney`s Office requested a criminal process against independent MP Glavas in 2006. His MP immunity was revoked. The Supreme Court decided that the proceedings are to be held at the Zagreb County Court and an investigation was opened. Glavas dismissed the allegations.