War crimes convict dies after taking ‘poison’ in court

THE HAGUE, Nov 29 

A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital in The Hague after he was seen drinking from a flask or glass as a UN judge read out the ruling against him and five other suspects, state TV reported, citing unnamed sources.

The apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgment at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which closes next month.

“I just drank poison," he said. "I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction.”

After gulping down the drink, Praljak sat back down and slumped in his chair, a lawyer who was in the courtroom at the time said.

UN court representatives and Dutch hospital officials declined to comment on his condition.

Croatian General Marinko Kresic, speaking earlier on Croatian TV, said he had spoken to the wife of another defendant, Milivoje Petkovic, who was in The Hague. “She confirmed that he drank the poison and that he is in a very grave health condition,” he said.

The presiding Judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearings and paramedics raced to the courtroom, which was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As forensic investigation got underway, the courtroom was sealed off, and the public was instructed to leave. — Reuters