The University of EdinburghPeace Agreements DatabasePeaceRep

Prisoner Exchange Agreement

  • Country/entity

    Croatia
    Yugoslavia (former)
  • Region

    Europe and Eurasia
    Europe and Eurasia
  • Agreement name

    Prisoner Exchange Agreement
  • Date

    6 Nov 1991
  • Agreement status

    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement

    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level

    Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001) )
  • Stage

    Pre-negotiation/process
  • Conflict nature

    Government/territory
  • Peace process

    Croatia negotiation process
  • Parties

    Deputy Minister of Defence of the RH (Republic of Croatia): Ivan Milas
    Plenipotentiary of the OS (Armed Forces) of the SFRY: Lieutenant General Andrija Raseta
  • Third parties

    Ambassador Dirk-Jan Van Houten
  • Description

    This agreement provides for a mutual prisoner exchange, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross and in the presence of European Community observers.


Groups

  • Children/youth

    No specific mention.

  • Disabled persons

    No specific mention.

  • Elderly/age

    No specific mention.

  • Migrant workers

    No specific mention.

  • Racial/ethnic/national group

    No specific mention.

  • Religious groups

    No specific mention.

  • Indigenous people

    No specific mention.

  • Other groups

    No specific mention.

  • Refugees/displaced persons

    No specific mention.

  • Social class

    No specific mention.


Gender

  • Women, girls and gender

    No specific mention.

  • Men and boys

    No specific mention.

  • LGBTI

    No specific mention.

  • Family
    Page 1, 8.
    The signatories of the agreement formally undertake not to exercise any kind of repression against prisoners who refuse to return, or against their families;

State definition

  • Nature of state (general)

    No specific mention.

  • State configuration

    No specific mention.

  • Self determination

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum

    No specific mention.

  • State symbols

    No specific mention.

  • Independence/secession

    No specific mention.

  • Accession/unification

    No specific mention.

  • Border delimitation

    No specific mention.

  • Cross-border provision

    No specific mention.


Governance

  • Political institutions (new or reformed)

    No specific mention.

  • Elections

    No specific mention.

  • Electoral commission

    No specific mention.

  • Political parties reform

    No specific mention.

  • Civil society
    Page 1, 3.
    Each side will hand over to the other a list of all prisoners, with details of the place where the prisoners are detained, and both sides will provide a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with copies of these lists;

    Page 1, 4.
    The signatories of this agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will take place immediately after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has registered and visited the prisoners in accordance with the special criteria of the ICRC;

    Page 1, 5.
    The signatories of the agreement shall accept the list of prisoners registered by the ICRC as authoritative;

    Page 1, 6.
    The signatories of the agreement agree that no prisoner will be returned against his or her will, and that every prisoner will be given the opportunity to declare his or her will to a representative of the ICRC;

    Page 1, 11.
    The signatories undertake to place all prisoners under the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) immediately, and to abide by the requirements and standards of the International Red Cross in all respects regarding the treatment and accommodation of prisoners;

    Page 1, 13.
    In the event of a dispute regarding the interpretation and application of this agreement the decision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) shall be final.
  • Traditional/religious leaders

    No specific mention.

  • Public administration

    No specific mention.

  • Constitution

    No specific mention.


Power sharing

  • Political power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Territorial power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Economic power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Military power sharing

    No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

  • Human rights/RoL general

    No specific mention.

  • Bill of rights/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Treaty incorporation

    No specific mention.

  • Civil and political rights

    No specific mention.

  • Socio-economic rights

    No specific mention.


Rights related issues

  • Citizenship

    No specific mention.

  • Democracy

    No specific mention.

  • Detention procedures

    No specific mention.

  • Media and communication

    No specific mention.

  • Mobility/access

    No specific mention.

  • Protection measures

    No specific mention.

  • Other

    No specific mention.


Rights institutions

  • NHRI

    No specific mention.

  • Regional or international human rights institutions

    No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

  • Criminal justice and emergency law

    No specific mention.

  • State of emergency provisions

    No specific mention.

  • Judiciary and courts

    No specific mention.

  • Prisons and detention

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional Laws

    No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

  • Development or socio-economic reconstruction

    No specific mention.

  • National economic plan

    No specific mention.

  • Natural resources

    No specific mention.

  • International funds

    No specific mention.

  • Business

    No specific mention.

  • Taxation

    No specific mention.

  • Banks

    No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

  • Land reform/rights

    No specific mention.

  • Pastoralist/nomadism rights

    No specific mention.

  • Cultural heritage

    No specific mention.

  • Environment

    No specific mention.

  • Water or riparian rights or access

    No specific mention.


Security sector

  • Security Guarantees

    No specific mention.

  • Ceasefire

    No specific mention.

  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces

    No specific mention.

  • DDR

    No specific mention.

  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces

    No specific mention.

  • Withdrawal of foreign forces

    No specific mention.

  • Corruption

    No specific mention.

  • Crime/organised crime

    No specific mention.

  • Drugs

    No specific mention.

  • Terrorism

    No specific mention.


Transitional justice

  • Transitional justice general

    No specific mention.

  • Amnesty/pardon

    No specific mention.

  • Courts

    No specific mention.

  • Mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Prisoner release
    Page 1,
    On the exchange of prisoners, or persons deprived of their liberty, in armed conflicts in the Republic of Croatia or in connection with these clashes, in accordance with the following...

    Page 1, 1.
    Both sides concur that they will exchange all prisoners or persons deprived of their liberty on the principles of all for all;

    Page 1, 2.
    The term “prisoner” shall be held to include all persons deprived of their liberty who are in prisoner, detention facilities or prison camps, regardless of whether criminal or any other proceedings have been initiated against them, indictments issued or a final judgement or first-instance delivered, regardless of the territory in which they are located or the place they were taken prisoner, deprived of freedom, suffered restrictions on movement, or were held hostage;

    Page 1, 3.
    Each side will hand over to the other a list of all prisoners, with details of the place where the prisoners are detained, and both sides will provide a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with copies of these lists;

    Page 1, 4.
    The signatories of this agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will take place immediately after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has registered and visited the prisoners in accordance with the special criteria of the ICRC;

    Page 1, 5.
    The signatories of the agreement shall accept the list of prisoners registered by the ICRC as authoritative;

    Page 1, 6.
    The signatories of the agreement agree that no prisoner will be returned against his or her will, and that every prisoner will be given the opportunity to declare his or her will to a representative of the ICRC;

    Page 1, 7.
    The signatories of the agreement undertake not to exercise any kind of pressure on prisoners with regard to persuading them to reject or accept their return;

    Page 1, 8.
    The signatories of the agreement formally undertake not to exercise any kind of repression against prisoners who refuse to return, or against their families;

    Page 1, 9.
    The signatories of the agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will also be conducted in the presence of European Community observers;

    Page 1, 10.
    The signatories of the agreement agree that they will commence the exchange of prisoner lists immediately, and will appoint persons authorised to conduct the exchange, within a period of two days from the signing of the agreement;

    Page 1, 11.
    The signatories undertake to place all prisoners under the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) immediately, and to abide by the requirements and standards of the International Red Cross in all respects regarding the treatment and accommodation of prisoners;

    Page 1, 12.
    The persons authorised under item 10 of this agreement will provide a detailed description of any unclear issues that may present themselves during the implementation of the agreement.
  • Vetting

    No specific mention.

  • Victims

    No specific mention.

  • Missing persons

    No specific mention.

  • Reparations

    No specific mention.

  • Reconciliation

    No specific mention.


Implementation

  • UN signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Other international signatory
    Ambassador Dirk-Jan Van Houten
  • Referendum for agreement

    No specific mention.

  • International mission/force/similar
    Page 1, 9.
    The signatories of the agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will also be conducted in the presence of European Community observers;
  • Enforcement mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Related cases

    No specific mention.

  • Source
    ICTY Court Records, Mrksic trial exhibit 00869
    http://icr.icty.org/

The Government of the Republic of Croatia, represented by Ivan Milas, Deputy Minister of Defence, and the Armed Forces of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), represented by Andrija Rašeta, Lieutenant General, having expressed their positions, have concluded the following

AGREEMENT

On the exchange of prisoners, or persons deprived of their liberty, in armed conflicts in the Republic of Croatia or in connection with these clashes, in accordance with the following:

1. Both sides concur that they will exchange all prisoners or persons deprived of their liberty on the principles of all for all;

2. The term “prisoner” shall be held to include all persons deprived of their liberty who are in prisoner, detention facilities or prison camps, regardless of whether criminal or any other proceedings have been initiated against them, indictments issued or a final judgement or first-instance delivered, regardless of the territory in which they are located or the place they were taken prisoner, deprived of freedom, suffered restrictions on movement, or were held hostage;

3. Each side will hand over to the other a list of all prisoners, with details of the place where the prisoners are detained, and both sides will provide a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with copies of these lists;

4. The signatories of this agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will take place immediately after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has registered and visited the prisoners in accordance with the special criteria of the ICRC;

5. The signatories of the agreement shall accept the list of prisoners registered by the ICRC as authoritative;

6. The signatories of the agreement agree that no prisoner will be returned against his or her will, and that every prisoner will be given the opportunity to declare his or her will to a representative of the ICRC;

7. The signatories of the agreement undertake not to exercise any kind of pressure on prisoners with regard to persuading them to reject or accept their return;

8. The signatories of the agreement formally undertake not to exercise any kind of repression against prisoners who refuse to return, or against their families;

9. The signatories of the agreement agree that the exchange of prisoners will also be conducted in the presence of European Community observers;

10. The signatories of the agreement agree that they will commence the exchange of prisoner lists immediately, and will appoint persons authorised to conduct the exchange, within a period of two days from the signing of the agreement;

11. The signatories undertake to place all prisoners under the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) immediately, and to abide by the requirements and standards of the International Red Cross in all respects regarding the treatment and accommodation of prisoners;

12. The persons authorised under item 10 of this agreement will provide a detailed description of any unclear issues that may present themselves during the implementation of the agreement.

13. In the event of a dispute regarding the interpretation and application of this agreement the decision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) shall be final.

At Zagreb

6 November 1991

Deputy Minister of Defence of the RH (Republic of Croatia): Ivan Milas

Plenipotentiary of the OS (Armed Forces) of the SFRY:

Lieutenant General Andrija Raseta

Ambassador Dirk-Jan Van Houten