Mile Mrkšić | |
|---|---|
 Mile Mrkšić in aHague courtroom in May 2009 | |
| Born | (1947-05-01)1 May 1947 |
| Died | 16 August 2015(2015-08-16) (aged 68) Lisbon, Portugal |
| Buried | Lešće Cemetery, Belgrade |
| Allegiance |  SFR Yugoslavia Serbian Krajina FR Yugoslavia |
| Branch | Yugoslav People's Army Serbian Army of Krajina Armed Forces of FR Yugoslavia |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel General |
| Unit | 1st Motorized Guards Brigade |
| Commands | Commander of theSerbian Army of Krajina |
| Battles / wars | Yugoslav Wars |
Mile Mrkšić (Serbian Cyrillic:Миле Мркшић; 1 May 1947 – 16 August 2015) was acolonel of theYugoslav People's Army (JNA) in charge of the unit involved in theBattle of Vukovar during theCroatian War of Independence in 1991. He was convicted for not preventingthe mass killing of 264 Croats that followed thefall of Vukovar, and sentenced to 20 years.[1][2][3]
Mrkšić was born inKozarac nearVrginmost on 1 May 1947.
After the battle of Vukovar, he was promoted toGeneral in the JNA and laterCommander in Chief of theSerbian Army of Krajina (SVK) in May 1995. After thefall of Krajina in August 1995, he was denied entry intoSerbia for a while since many blamed him for the military defeat. At one point he was placed underhouse arrest, sent into early retirement and ended up selling produce at agreen market.[4]
Mrkšić wasindicted in 1995, along withMiroslav Radić,Veselin Šljivančanin andSlavko Dokmanović, by theInternational Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Dokmanović later committed suicide.[5] Mrkšić voluntarily surrendered to the ICTY on 15 May 2002, and was transferred to the court the same day. The trial against him commenced in October 2005 and ended proceedings in 2007, where he was convicted.[citation needed]
On 27 September 2007, the Trial Chamber found Mrkšić guilty of aiding and abetting themurder of civilians and prisoners of war at Ovčara, aiding and abetting their torture, and aiding and abetting the cruel treatment given there. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.[1] The verdicts caused indignation in Croatia, which had hoped for far more severe sentences. State-run radio called the outcome "shocking", while the Croatian prime minister said the verdicts were "shameful".[2]
In August 2012, Mrkšić was sentenced to 20 years in prison to be served in the high security prison of Monsanto,Portugal. He died three years later on 16 August 2015, aged 68.[6][7]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of theSerbian Army of Krajina 17 May 1995 – 7 August 1995 | Succeeded by Army disbanded |
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| International | |
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| National | |
