Sarajevo - A Bosnian court on Friday released a senior Croatian politician who had fled to the country after being handed a 10-year sentence in Croatia for war crimes against Serbs in the 1990s.

Branimir Glavas had fled to Bosnia - where he has joint nationality - last week, immediately after the sentence was handed down.

However, on Thursday Bosnia handed him a 30-days detention.

Glavas' lawyer appealed that decision and the court in Sarajevo on Friday released Glavas.

The saga started last week a Croatian court sentenced Glavas to 10 years in prison for war crimes against Serbs in the 1990s.

Anticipating the sentence, Glavas, 52, fled to Bosnia whose nationality he also has.

He believed that his Bosnian passport would protect him from extradition since Bosnian laws do not allow the extradition of its citizens.

Bosnian officials however arrested Glavas on Wednesday, after Croatia lifted his parliamentary immunity and issued an international warrant for his arrest, and on Thursday ordered him a month long detention coming a step closer to a making a precedent on extradition of its nationals.

On Friday Glavas was released. Since the international warrant is still valid, he has to remain in Bosnia.

Glavas was sentenced to the torture and murder of Serbs in Osjek eastern Croatia where he served as a regional defence commander in the area. During his reign, dozens of Serbs were killed or disappeared.

He is the first Croatian politician to be tried for war crimes in the country since its independence in 1992. (dpa)