
Prosecutor v. Erdemovic
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia Appeals Chamber
Case No. IT-96-22, Judgement (Oct. 7, 1997)
Relevant factsFree
Erdemovic (defendant), a Bosnian Serb Army soldier, participated in executing 1,200 men and children in July 1995 and pleaded guilty to crimes against humanity, arguing he faced death himself had he refused to participate; he received a lenient 10-year sentence partly for cooperating with the investigation, and appealed, arguing duress should have operated as a complete defense to the killings.
IssueFree
Whether duress is a complete defense to the killing of innocent persons under international law.
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