Convicted war criminal Tihomir Blaskic addressed the people gathered in Kupres at the celebration of the 28th anniversary of the liberation of this town.

Blaskic spoke about war exploits and tactical war manoeuvres. He did not talk about the crimes for which he was convicted. Blaskic said that it was his first time speaking.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic is also present at the celebration where he is expected to speak.

Na skupu u Kupresu gdje je pristuan i hrvatski predsjednik Zoran Milanović, obraća se i osuđeni ratni zločinac, Tihomir Blaškić
Više na https://t.co/L7AUgRKFYV pic.twitter.com/NyXk7ELuiL

— TV N1 Sarajevo (@N1infoSA) November 3, 2022

Tihomir Blaskic was charged on the basis of individual criminal responsibility and command responsibility for crimes committed by Croat forces from May 1992 to January 1994 against Bosniaks during the ethnic cleansing of the Lasva Valley, which includes crimes against humanity (Article 5 – persecution on political, racial or religious basis), serious violations of the Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2 – intentional killing, mass destruction of property, inhumane treatment, taking civilians hostage, inflicting severe suffering), and violations of the laws and customs of war; Article 3 – unlawful attacks on civilians and civilian objects, destruction of religious objects, murders). In the initial indictment of “Lasva Valley” dated November 10, 1995, he was accused together with five other defendants, Dari Kordic, Mari Cerkez, Zlatko Aleksovski, Ivan Santic and Pero Skopljak, but after the verdicts against Dari Kordić and Mari Čerkez, the indictment was separated.

Blaskic surrendered voluntarily in 1996, and in 2000 he was sentenced to 45 years on all counts of the indictment. After the appeal procedure, the final sentence of nine years in prison was pronounced. He was released from prison in 2004.