(15 Apr 2011) SHOTLIST
1. People gathered in Jelacic Square watching on screen trial at International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for General Ante Gotovina, General Ivan Cermak and General Mladen Markac
2. A man in the crowd praying
3. Supporters of Gotovina, Cermak and Markac watching the trial on screen, they whistle and shout as guilty verdict is passed for Ante Gotovina
4. Zoom into people hugging and bowing their heads as they listen to the guilty counts read out against Ante Gotovina
5. Pan over the crowd listening to the counts against Gotovina, UPSOUND ( Croatian) "Thieves!"
6. Soldiers and young men on stage holding Croatian flags and Gotovina's picture on stage
7. Crowd listening to a speaker, UPSOUND: (Croatian) "Public protests are certainly necessary, but this country, particularly the defenders of Croatian freedom, who have been demonised in every possible way in the past twenty years, needs justice!"
8. Close of a woman holding a Croatian flag and a cross pendant on her chain
9. Zoom into newspaper held by a person in a crowd with a drawing of Ante Gotovina and headline (Croatian): "Hero"
STORYLINE
Thousands of Croatian war veterans and supporters of three generals, Ante Gotovina, Mladen Markac and Ivan Cermak, gathered to watch live on a large outdoor screen at Zagreb's main square the conclusion of their trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague, Netherlands.
The three generals were being tried on charges of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war committed by the Croatian forces during the Operation Storm military campaign between July and September 1995.
The supporters shouted, whistled, and booed as the guilty verdict for General Gotovina was being delivered by the judge.
Someone shouted "Thieves!" a word used in Croatian to denote extreme dishonesty.
Many in the crowd were praying and held crucifixes worn on neck chains while others stood frozen in disbelief.
The conviction of Gotovina was a blow to the Croatian view of its wartime generals as national heroes who reclaimed Croatian land from a more powerful Serb force during Croatia's war for independence from the former Yugoslavia.
A speaker addressing the crowd said public protests were necessary, as well as justice for the country's defenders.
"This country, particularly the defenders of Croatian freedom, who have been demonised in every possible way in the past twenty years, needs justice!"
Gotovina was convicted of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, deportation, persecution and inhuman acts, during and immediately after a lightning campaign called Operation Storm that seized back land along Croatia's eastern border taken over by rebel Serbs early in the Balkan wars.
Dozens of Serbs were killed and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes.
Gotovina was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment.
Mladen Markac who held the position of Assistant Minister of Interior in charge of Special Police matters, were convicted of persecution, deportation, plunder, wanton destruction, two counts of murder, inhumane acts and cruel treatment and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Ivan Cermak was acquitted of all charges.
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