Swedish court releases Serb jailed for war crimes

World November 29, 2012

Swedish court releases Serb jailed for war crimes

STOCKHOLM (AP) — A Swedish appeals court has ordered the release of a 35-year-old Serbian man serving a life sentence for allegedly participating in a mass killing of ethnic Albanians during the 1999 Kosovo war.

The release order Thursday indicates that Milic Martinovic, who has spent 30 months in detention, will be acquitted when the Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm announces its official ruling Dec. 19. Martinovic was convicted in January by a lower court for participating with Serb forces in the murder of 29 civilians in the Kosovo village of Cuska in May 1999. He has claimed innocence, saying he has never been to the area where the crimes were committed.

His lawyer, Bertil Schultz, on Thursday said the release order likely means he will be acquitted.

Subjects
Locations
- Sweden,
- Stockholm,
- Kosovo,
- Western Europe

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