Weather Afternoon: 8°c Sunny spells Tonight: 5°c Partly Cloudy Night

News

Emina Ganic, right, and her brother Emir, children of the former Bosnian Vice President Ejup Ganic (AP)
Emina Ganic, right, and her brother Emir, children of the former Bosnian Vice President Ejup Ganic (AP)

Ex-Bosnian leader 'owed apology'

11 Mar 2010


The British government owes a former Bosnian president an apology for his "mistreatment" in prison, the chairman of the joint presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina has said.

Ejup Ganic, 64, was arrested at Heathrow on March 1 and held in Wandsworth prison until he was granted bail at the High Court.

Dr Haris Silajdzic said he was "shocked" by Dr Ganic's claims he was denied access to consular assistance, to a telephone and to his medicine for three days.

He said Foreign Secretary David Miliband had promised to investigate the complaint.

Dr Silajdzic told reporters at a press conference in central London that he had met Mr Miliband earlier to discuss Dr Ganic, who faces accusations by Serbia of war crimes.

He said: "I drew his attention to the fact that he didn't have for three full days access to the telephone and he had problems even with his medicine that he takes usually for treating high blood pressure." This was a "clear contravention" of European conventions, he added.

"I said that I believe that an apology is owed so that Bosnia-Herzegovina will know that our relations are normal, that this was an aberration of otherwise good and friendly relations with this country," he said.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's legal adviser, Damir Arnaut, said Dr Ganic was not informed of his right to consular assistance and criticised the alleged actions of prison staff.

Mr Arnaud said that, when Dr Ganic asked for his medicine: "The prison guards, I am really sorry I have to say this, told Mr Ganic to shut his mouth, that this is a prison and he can speak only if first spoken to."

He added: "We do hope these mistakes will not be repeated with respect to other foreign nationals."

Reader views (0)

 Add your view

No comments have so far been submitted.

 

  • MPs spend £400,000 of taxpayers' cash on 12 fig trees for their offices Fig Trees EXCLUSIVE: Taxpayers are footing a bill of almost £400,000 to rent 12 fig trees to shade MPs in the glass-roofed atrium of their...
  • 10 million Tube passengers fail to claim money back for delays Tube train More than 10 million Tube users are missing out on refunds worth more than £20 million when their trains are delayed
  • The final reckoning: how Boris and Ken measure up in election battle Ken Boris split London goes to the polls on May 3 with the election battle between Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone set to be the capital's closest mayoral...
  • Commuters' favourite swaps busking for the big time with recording deal Tristan Mackay Busker Tristan Mackay has hit the jackpot after landing a record deal with an award-winning producer
  • What a smoothie! Eight-year-old Valentine gives Kate roses and a heart-shaped cupcake Kate Smoothie The Duchess of Cambridge's first Valentine's Day as a married woman was marked with roses, a card and a cupcake - but not from Prince...
  • Kercher family launch appeal over decision to clear Knox of murder Meredith Kercher Meredith Kercher's family today launched an appeal to overturn the decision to clear Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito of her murder
  • PM urged to deport Qatada as he hides in north London safe house Abu Qatada David Cameron was under pressure today to defy European judges by ordering the deportation of extremist cleric Abu Qatada as he holed up in...
  • Now jailed Dizaei could be forced to repay his £1million legal aid bill Ali Dizaei Met commander Ali Dizaei is facing the prospect of paying back tens of thousand of pounds of legal aid as Scotland Yard prepared to sack him...
  • Osborne defends his cuts strategy as inflation falls George Osborne Chancellor George Osborne defended his economic strategy as a fall in inflation finally brought mild relief to some from the tight squeeze...
  • Royal College students to receive scholarships courtesy of Burberry Rosie Huntington-Whitely At the luxury brand Burberry, Christopher Bailey has transformed a designer classic into must-have cool, as epitomised by the models Rosie...
  •  

    Don't Miss