INDICTMENT ISSUED AGAINST SEVEN PERSONS FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN DONJI VAKUF AREA

The indictees are charged with crimes committed against Bosniak and Croat victims in the Donji Vakuf area in 1992.

A prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes has filed an indictment against:

1.        Jovan Šatara, born in 1957 in Travnik, citizen of BiH,

2.        Boško Savković, born in 1956 in Šipovo, citizen of BiH,

3.        Sekula Šišić, born in 1945 in Donji Vakuf, citizen of BiH,

4.        Nenad Tanasić, born in 1967 in Donji Vakuf, citizen of BiH, previously convicted of war crimes,

5.        Boško Bilić, born in 1956 in Donji Vakuf, citizen of BiH,

6.        Zdravko Balaban, born in 1955 in Travnik, citizen of BiH,

7.        Jordan Ilić, born in 1962 in Bugojno, citizen of BiH.

The indictees are charged with committing the criminal offence of Crime against Humanity during the war and armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the widespread and systematic attack by the VRS, police and paramilitary formations on the Bosniak and Croat civilian population in the Donji Vakuf area in the spring and summer of 1992, in violation of Article 172 of the Criminal Code of BiH.

It is alleged that they, as commanders, chiefs and members of the police and the army, took part in the unlawful detention of about 150 Bosniak and Croat civilian victims in several facilities, where they tortured, abused, beat and treated them inhumanely, inflicted bodily and mental harm to them, tortured them in extremely degrading ways, which resulted in the deaths of several persons and caused permanent and severe bodily and mental harm to a large number of detainees.

The accused are also charged with forcibly taking several people in an unknown direction since when every trace of them has been lost.

The accused Ilić is also charged with rape and sexual abuse of one victim who was repeatedly raped and abused, once in the presence of her minor child.

The prosecution will prove the allegations of the indictment by calling 84 witnesses, including witnesses enjoying certain protective measures, and by enclosing hundreds of pieces of evidence.

The indictment was forwarded to the Court of BiH.