ZAGREB, November 2, 2018 – An investigation into the suicide of Bosnian Croat general Slobodan Praljak in a courtroom of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague last year has not shown when and how he had obtained the potassium cyanide which he drank during the sentencing hearing, the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday.
“The investigation of Mr Slobodan Praljak’s death has been completed. The defendant Praljak committed suicide last year in the court room of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after the court had passed its sentence against him. The investigation has not shown in what way and at what point in time Mr Praljak had obtained the potassium cyanide he used. No criminal offences were established,” the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on its website.
“On Wednesday, 29 November 2017, the defendant Slobodan Praljak was present when the ICTY passed its sentence against him. After having listened to the verdict, Praljak took the floor and subsequently took a sip from a bottle. Shortly afterwards, he became unwell and died at the Westeinde hospital after more than two hours. The ICTY asked the Public Prosecutor’s Office that same day to investigate the non-natural death,” it added.
The Dutch authorities said that possession of cyanide is not punishable under Dutch law. An examination of camera footage found nothing suspicious; the footage did not show him carrying or being handed over a bottle or a similar item.
“After Praljak’s death, a farewell letter was found, in which he had written to his family that he had already decided to put an end to his life a long time ago, should he be found guilty.
“It can’t be excluded that Praljak already had the poison in his possession for a very long time. Potassium cyanide can be stored in its dry form and suicide only requires a very small quantity. In this context, it isn’t strange that the importation or storage of the substance wasn’t noticed,” the statement said.
If you want to read more about Croatia’s relations with the ICTY, click here.
