Praljak trial bosnian croat war criminal takes poison court

Slobodan Praljak was a Bosnian Croat war criminal who was on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague, Netherlands. He was accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Bosnian War in the 1990s.

On November 29, 2017, Praljak was found guilty of all charges against him, including the persecution and murder of Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) civilians and prisoners of war. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

However, before the judges could deliver the verdict, Praljak stood up and shouted "I am not a war criminal!" He then drank from a small bottle and collapsed. The court was in chaos as Praljak's lawyers and family members rushed to his side.

It was later revealed that Praljak had ingested a small amount of cyanide, which he had brought with him to the court. He died a few hours later at a hospital in The Hague.

Praljak's suicide was widely condemned by the international community, including the ICTY, the United Nations, and human rights organizations. It was seen as a desperate and tragic act that undermined the rule of law and the efforts to bring justice to victims of war crimes.

Praljak's trial was significant because it was one of the last major cases to be heard at the ICTY, which was established in 1993 to prosecute war crimes committed during the Yugoslav Wars. The tribunal had previously convicted and sentenced many high-ranking officials and military leaders from the former Yugoslavia, including former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić and former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadžić.

Praljak's case was notable because it highlighted the complexity and brutality of the Bosnian War, which was fought between 1992 and 1995. The war was marked by ethnic cleansing, mass killings, and the use of torture and other forms of violence against civilians and prisoners of war.

Praljak's conviction and sentence were seen as a significant step towards justice for the victims of the Bosnian War. However, his suicide was a tragic reminder of the ongoing impact of the war and the need for continued efforts to promote reconciliation and accountability in the region.