Bosnian Croat war criminal drinks poison in UN courtroom, dies
72-year-old Slobodan Praljak, a Bosnian Croat war criminal, died after he drank poison during an appeal at the International Criminal Tribunal at The Hague. Praljak, a former commander of Bosnian Croat forces, said he wasn't a criminal and drank from a bottle after he heard that his 20-year jail term had been upheld. The dramatic incident is being investigated. Here's more.
Praljak 'rejected court ruling' and then consumed poison
After hearing the verdict, he shouted, "Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I am rejecting the court ruling." He then drank a small vial of liquid and said, "I have taken poison." Court proceedings were immediately suspended and an ambulance was called. "Don't take away the glass that he used when he drank something," presiding judge Carmel Agius said after suspending proceedings.
Praljak was pronounced dead at hospital
Following the incident, an ambulance was rushed outside the tribunal. A number of emergency personnel entered the building. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) said Praljak "was immediately assisted by the ICTY medical staff." It said he "was transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical assistance where he passed."
Praljak was jailed for crimes against humanity
Praljak was among six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders attending their final appeals judgment at the ICTY. They have all been accused of committing war crimes during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Praljak was charged with doing little to stop the persecution of Muslims in Prozor. He was also charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th Century bridge.
Investigation to look into who supplied poison to Praljak
The ICTY courtroom has been declared a crime scene. An independent investigation will be launched to establish who supplied the poison to Praljak and how he evaded strict security checks and smuggled the bottle into the court.
