The county court in the eastern Croatian town of Osijek has extended custody for Bosnjak, who is on trial for his role in an attack on Serb civilians in Sisak in 1991, because of the “exceptionally serious criminal offence” he is accused of committing.

Osijek court made its decision after Croatia’s constitutional court ruled last Wednesday that holding Bosnjak for two years without a proper explanation could be regarded as punishment before any sentence was delivered.

Bosnjak’s lawyer, Domagoj Resetar, said he would appeal again.

“The Osijek court obviously didn’t examine the constitutional court decision well,” Resetar said.

Bosnjak, the wartime commander of a special police unit called the ‘Wolves’ in the central Croatian town of Sisak, is standing trial for crimes against Serb civilians together with former Sisak police commander Vladimir Milankovic.

Bosnjak was indicted for organising and leading a group that detained and tortured Serb civilians, allegedly killing eight of the 24 victims named in the indictment.

Milankovic is charged with allowing, encouraging and not investigating the physical and psychological torture, illegal detention and humiliation of Serb civilians in the Sisak area from July 1991 until June 1992.

He is also charged with personally torturing and ordering the illegal arrest of a large number of Serb civilians from Sisak, which resulted in the deaths of the 24 victims./balkaninsight