News
INDICTMENT ISSUED AGAINST SEVEN PERSONS FOR WAR CRIMES AGAINST PRISONERS OF WAR
29.12.2022. 14:02The accused are charged with having, during the war and armed conflict in BiH, in their capacities as commanders and members of the 511th Glorious Mountain Brigade of the ARBiH, acted contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
They are charged with having, during the attack of the RBiH Army on the RS Army positions in the area of Kobiljnjak, Osmača and Ćojluka (Bosanska Krupa municipality), in the period from the second half of May 1995 to the middle of July 1995, captured and taken out of combat operations at least 25 members of the RSA, of which four were immediately killed, and the remaining 21 were taken prisoner and kept under the supervision of the Military Police of the 511th Brigade of the RBiH Army as prisoners of war to whom the provisions of the Geneva Conventions refer. The are charged with having , on several occasions, personally and with other persons, participated in the taking away of prisoners and their killings. Some of the prisoners were killed with firearms, and some of the prisoners were beaten to death with wooden stakes and other objects.In this way, at least 25 captured members of the RS Army were killed.
The bodies of the killed prisoners were exchanged and found during 1995 and 1996, and the body of one victim was found in 2004.
The accused are charged with having acted contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law, violating the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War
by which they committed the criminal offense - War Crimes against Prisoners of War under Article 175 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The prosecution will prove the allegations of the indictment by calling 118 witnesses, of which 6 witnesses with assigned protective measures, 3 expert witnesses and by attaching more than 180 pieces of evidence. The indictment was forwarded to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for confirmation.
This announcement does not prejudice the outcome of the criminal proceedings and does not violate the principle of the presumption of innocence. A person shall be considered innocent of a crime until guilt has been established by a final verdict (Article 3, paragraph 1 of the CPC BiH).