Vasiljkovic could walk free within months

Dragon Vasiljkovic, also known as Captain Dragan, listen to his judgement during his trial at a court in Split, Croatia

Dragon Vasiljkovic, also known as Captain Dragan, listen to his judgement during his trial at a court in Split, Croatia Source: EPA (AAP)

Dragan Vasiljkovic could walk free from a Croatian jail in a matter of weeks, following a reduction in his sentence on appeal.


Vasiljkovic was sentenced to 15 years’ jail last September for war crimes in Croatia in 1991. But a Supreme Court has reduced the jail term to 13 years and six months.

Vasiljkovic, 63, wants the authorities to include the nine years spent in a Sydney detention centre while fighting an extradition to face trial in ­Croatia, as well as the two years behind bars in Split, to be calculated in his overall sentencing. Under Croatian law prisoners can be released after serving two-thirds of their sentence.

One of the Vasiljkovic’s lawyers Savo Strbac confirmed for SBS Serbian that Vasiljkovic  was eligible for parole, but the procedure could take several weeks.


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