MILAN MARTIĆ'S REQUEST FOR EARLY RELEASE REJECTED

BELGRADE, FEBRUARY 4 /SRNA/ - The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague has denied the early release of former President of the Republic of Serbian Krajina, Milan Martić, the Mechanism announced today.

In the reasoning for the decision, signed by Mechanism President Graciela Gatti Santana, it was stated that the Mechanism was informed by Estonia last May that Martić had become eligible for early release.

She ordered that the decision be delivered as soon as possible to the authorities in Estonia, where Martić is serving his prison sentence, to Serbia, and to the prosecutor, Večernje Novosti reported.

Martić served as Minister of Defense, Minister of the Interior, and President of the Republic of Serbian Krajina. The Hague Tribunal sentenced him to 35 years in prison. He surrendered in 2002 and was convicted five years later.

He was charged with issuing orders to fire rockets at civilian targets in Zagreb, resulting in the deaths of seven people and injuries to several others.