Dragan Vasiljkovic

Former Croatian prisoners of war were the first witnesses at the war crimes trial of the 1990s Serb paramilitary commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, better known as ‘Captain Dragan’.

Former Serbian paramilitary commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as ‘Captain Dragan’, pleaded not guilty to war crimes as his trial started in Croatia, claiming he was only defending his homeland Yugoslavia.

Dragan Vasiljkovic, better known as Captain Dragan, has denied that he was guilty of war crimes committed against Croatian soldiers and civilians.

After the indictment against him was read for 20 minutes in a court in the town of Split on Tuesday, Vasiljkovic said he understood the charges, and pleaded not guilty on all counts.

Wartime Serb paramilitary commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as ‘Captain Dragan’, sent a complaint to the UN claiming he was illegally detained in Australia for years and unlawfully extradited to Croatia.

Former Serb paramilitary commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as ‘Captain Dragan’, was indicted for war crimes including the torture and killings of Croatian soldiers and civilians.

Split County Court on Wednesday denied a request to release the former Serb paramilitary commander, Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as ‘Captain Dragan’, from custody.

Former Serb paramilitary leader Dragan Vasiljkovic, known as Captain Dragan, arrived in Croatia after being extradited from Australia to face war crimes allegations.

The Croatian justice ministry confirmed that former Serb paramilitary leader Dragan Vasiljkovic will be extradited from Australia to Croatia by July 15 to stand trial for alleged war crimes.

Former Serb paramilitary commander Dragan Vasiljkovic’s court plea to stop his extradition from Australia to Croatia, where he is wanted for alleged war crimes, was turned down.

Lawyers for notorious Serb ex-commander Dragan Vasiljkovic, who is in detention in Australia, said too much time had passed for him to be extradited to Croatia to face war crimes charges.