War Crimes Charges Extradition

Extradition of Bosnian National for War Crimes Charges in 2013

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Extradition of Bosnian National for War Crimes Charges: On June 3, 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the United States had extradited Sulejman Mujagic, “a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a resident of Utica, N.Y., to stand trial in Bosnia for charges relating to the torture and murder of one prisoner of war and the torture of another during the armed conflict in Bosnia.” Department of Justice press release, June 3, 2013, available at (link resource) justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/June/13-crm-633.html. After a federal court found Mujagic to be subject to extradition, it certified its findings to the U.S. Secretary of State. On May 17, 2013, the U.S. Department of State issued a warrant authorizing the extradition of Mujagic, who was subsequently extradited, as explained below in excerpts from the Department of Justice press release.

Some Aspects of Extradition of Bosnian National for War Crimes Charges

Mujagic is being extradited to Bosnia to be tried for war crimes committed on or about March 6, 1995, during the armed conflict that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia has alleged that Mujagic, then a platoon commander in the Army of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, summarily tortured and executed a disarmed Bosnian Army soldier and tortured a second soldier after the two prisoners had been captured by Mujagic and his men. In response to the Bosnian government's request for extradition pursuant to the extradition treaty currently in force between the United States and Bosnia, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint in U.S. federal district court on Nov. 27, 2012, and HSI [Homeland Security Investigations] special agents arrested Mujagic the next day in Utica for purposes of extradition. On April 2, 2013, the federal district court in the Northern District of New York ruled that Mujagic was subject to extradition to Bosnia to stand trial for the murder and torture of the two unarmed victims. On May 31, 2013, Mujagic was delivered to Bosnian authorities and removed from the United States. The Office of the Cantonal Prosecutor of the Una-Sana Canton in Bihac is handling Mujagic's prosecution in Bosnia. Mujagic entered the United States in July 1997 and obtained status as a lawful permanent resident in March 2001. Mujagic does not retain U.S. citizenship.

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Notes

1. Extradition of Bosnian National for War Crimes Charges in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law