Bosnian War Criminal commits suicide in court

Bosnian, Slobodan Praljak, convicted of war crimes, committed suicide in front of a live court after a UN judge ratified his 20-year war crimes conviction on Wednesday, November 29th.

The former commander of Bosnian-Croat military forces exclaimed, "I’m not a war criminal!" before drinking a small jar of poison. 

The UN judge stopped the hearing and Praljak was taken to the hospital. Praljak died in hospital. The strong images of the former philosophy professor and theater director, who later became general of war, were broadcast live on the court website and in all the Balkan countries. 

The death of the 72-year-old former commander drank the poison, after a ruling confirmed that Praljak was guilty of crimes such as murder, persecution and inhumane treatment. 

Following Praljak’s death Dutch police immediately began an independent investigation. Some of the questions the seek to answer include: What was it that Praljak took? and how could the liquid enter the room with the security that was in place?