Jailed Bosnian Serb general Tolimir fails in appeal bid

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32216745

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UN judges in The Hague have upheld a life sentence against a former Bosnian Serb officer, Gen Zdravko Tolimir, for genocide committed in the Bosnia war.

Tolimir's role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre was significant enough to justify the genocide conviction, the war crimes tribunal ruled.

Parts of his 2012 conviction were overturned, including the expulsion of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) from Zepa.

More than 7,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered at Srebrenica.

The massacre by Bosnian Serb forces was Europe's worst mass killing since World War Two.

Tolimir, 66, was the "right hand man" of Bosnian Serb commander Gen Ratko Mladic, judges ruled in the original trial. Gen Mladic is also on trial in The Hague.

"In light of these genocide convictions alone, the appeals chamber considers that Tolimir's responsibility does not warrant a revision of his sentence," Judge Theodor Meron said on Wednesday.