Yugoslav Court Upholds Artukovic Death Sentence

The Yugoslav Federal Court today upheld the death sentence for one-time Nazi Police Minister Andrija Artukovic, saying capital punishment is the only just sentence for his mass murders during World War II.

Artukovic, 86, former interior minister of the Nazi puppet state of Croatia, was found guilty May 14 of crimes against humanity and war crimes. An earlier appeal to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia was rejected.

Artukovic was extradited Feb. 12 from the United States, where he had lived since the late 1940s, mostly in Seal Beach, Calif. He was accused of involvement in the massacre of 700,000 Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and others during World War II. Artukovic, who was never an American citizen, denied the accusations.

His attorneys say Artukovic’s guilt was not proven, cite the 30-year statue of limitations and say he is too old and ill to stand trial.

More Appeals Planned

“We plan now to make further appeals: A request for extraordinary re-examination of the proceedings, an appeal for protection of legality and an appeal for clemency with Yugoslavia’s (president),” defense attorney Srdja Popovic said.

No execution date has been set. In Yugoslavia, death is by firing squad.

The Federal Court statement upholding Artukovic’s sentence said: “It has been undoubtedly proved that Andrija Artukovic had committed war crimes. The federal court considers that only the death penalty, regardless of the elapse of time and the old age of the convict, corresponds to his social danger and the level of his criminal responsibility.”

Artukovic suffers from several ailments, including Alzheimer’s disease. Yugoslav authorities say more than 700,000 Jews, Serbs, Gypsies and Croats died in concentration camps in Nazi Croatia while he was police and justice minister.