INDICTMENT ISSUED AGAINST RASEMA HANDANOVIĆ (1972) AND ELMEDIN ČAUŠEVIĆ (1961) FOR WAR CRIMES IN THE AREA OF KONJIC

Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued an Indictment against the following persons: 1. Rasema Handanović, born on 25 September 1972 in Sanski Most, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who is currently serving her sentence imposed upon her in an another war crimes case; 2. Elmedin Čaušević aka Mesar /Butcher/, born on 4 May 1961 in Sjenica, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina

These accused persons are charged with acting in violation of the provisions of the Geneva Conventions relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, as members of the Zulfikar Special Detachment for Special Purposes at the Supreme Command Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the war and armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993, in the territory of Konjic. They are charged with beating, torturing and mistreating two Croatian civilians- a husband and a wife who had been brought from the village of Liščići by members of the Zulfikar Detachment, in the place of Grabovci in the Municipality of Konjic, in May of 1993. The accused Čaušević was beating K.Z., a civilian, with a wooden stake and the accused Handanović joined him in the mistreating of this victim; Handanović also threatened his wife that she would be raped. The victim K.Z. was beaten and taken through the village and he was often falling down as a result of the beatings and mistreatment. The beatings left grave consequences for this victim’s physical and mental health. These accused persons are charged with the commission of the criminal offense of War Crimes against Civilians, as referred to in Article 173 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Indictment has been forwarded to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for confirmation.