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UN Court: Serbia did not commit genocide in Croatia in 1990s

Presiding judge Peter Tomka of Slovakia, fourth from right, opens the World Court session in The Hague, Netherlands Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. The International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court, is ruling on whether Croatia and Serbia committed genocide during the wars sparked by the breakup off the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Croatia has accused Serbia of genocide early in the wars and Serbia in turn claims that Croat forces were responsible for genocide in a 1995 campaign to retake territory held by rebel Serbs. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) Presiding judge Peter Tomka of Slovakia, fourth from right, opens the World Court session in The Hague, Netherlands Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. The International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest court, is ruling on whether Croatia and Serbia committed genocide during the wars sparked by the breakup off the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Croatia has accused Serbia of genocide early in the wars and Serbia in turn claims that Croat forces were responsible for genocide in a 1995 campaign to retake territory held by rebel Serbs. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

By Associated Press February 3, 2015 1 min read

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – The United Nations’ top court has ruled that Serbia did not commit genocide in Croatia during the bloody wars sparked by the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

The International Court of Justice said Tuesday that Serb forces committed widespread crimes in Croatia early in the war, but they did not amount to genocide.

The 17-judge bench is also considering a Serb claim that Croatia committed genocide during a 1995 military campaign to seize back territory from rebel Serbs. The court’s president is still reading that part of the judgment.

Croatia brought the case to the world court in 1999, asking judges to order Belgrade to pay compensation.