Lawyer Josip Muselimovic from the southern Bosnia and Herzegovina town of Mostar, who is representing Vukovar war veteran Tihomir Purda, arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a warrant issued by Serbia, on Thursday requested that his client be released from extradition detention in Zenica.
"The request for the release of Tihomir Purda from extradition detention has been submitted to the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Muselimovic told reporters.
He explained that the request was submitted based on the results of talks between Croatian Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic and his Serbian counterpart Snezana Malovic, held in Zagreb on Wednesday. Muselimovic said he understood that the two sides had reached an agreement that Serbia would refer Purda's case to the Croatian judiciary.
"This clearly shows that Serbia, as the requesting party, no longer has reasons to request his extradition," Muselimovic said.
The State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not comment on the request for Purda's release.
Purda is currently in the detention centre in Zenica, after he was arrested while entering Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Orasje border crossing on 5 January. He was placed in 18-day detention during which the Serbian judiciary is required to forward to the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina a formal extradition request with the necessary documentation.
