Croatian Military Police Sentenced For War Crimes

(RFE/RL) March 2, 2006 -- A Croatian court today sentenced eight former military policemen for war crimes during the 1991-95 conflict for Croatia's independence from the former Yugoslavia.
The eight men, four of whom are still at large, were given sentences ranging from six to eight years.

They were convicted of abusing civilian prisoners of Serbian nationality in Split's Lora prison in 1992. Two of the prisoners died as a result of the maltreatment.

In a first trial held in 2002, which was subsequently annulled, all eight defendants were found not guilty.

The Croatian judiciary has been criticized over its alleged ethnic bias and lack of objectivity.

(dpa)