THE MOST EXTENSIVE INDICTMENT FOR WAR CRIMES IN THE TERRITORY OF BRČKO ISSUED

Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued an Indictment for war crimes committed in the area of Brčko, which is the most extensive Indictment so far, as it comprises crimes and suffering of several hundred persons in 1992.

Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued an Indictment against the following person:

-      Đorđe Ristanić, born on 02 August 1957 in Brčko, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The accused is charged with taking part in the joint criminal enterprise and in serious violations of the provisions of international law and Geneva Conventions relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, from April to December of 1992, as part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against Bosniak and Croat civilians in the area of Brčko and its surroundings, while he was in his capacity of the President of the War Presidency of Brčko Municipality.     

The accused is charged with war crimes committed against several hundred Bosniak and Croat victims, mostly from the neighbourhoods of Centar, Kolobara, Dizdaruša, Klanac, Mujkići, Meraje, Rosulje, Grčica, Novo Brčko, “Š” Settlement, and other parts of the town predominantly populated by Bosniaks and Croats,  who were unlawfully arrested in early May of 1992 and taken to be imprisoned in several camps and detention facilities in the area of Brčko, including the building of the Ministry of the Interior, basement of the Health Center, Luka Camp, building of the Laser Company, DTV Partizan facility, facilities of the JNA garrison and other facilities used for unlawful detention, mistreatment and killings of prisoners.

Some of the executions of civilians, which were done directly on the spot, were recorded in photographs of foreign correspondents and they caused public condemnation worldwide.

The imprisoned civilians were killed, tortured, abused, beaten and mistreated in extremely humiliating ways. The crimes against the civilians were perpetrated by the members of military, police and paramilitary groups which were controlled by the accused.

Several hundred civilians were either killed or taken in an unknown direction and they have been unaccounted for. After the war, mortal remains of some of the victims were found and exhumed at various locations, whereas some of the victims are still unaccounted for.

The Indictment includes persecutions of population from the area of Brčko, as well as mass plundering of the property of Bosniak and Croat inhabitants, after they were taken to be imprisoned or after they were expelled from their homes and apartments in the area of Brčko.

Also, a large number of persons was subjected to severe forms of torture and physical and mental abuse, and the thus mistreated victims were not provided medical aid. As a result, the aforementioned crimes left grave consequences on the life and health of the victims and their families.

The Indictment also includes rapes and sexual abuse, as well as humiliations of the imprisoned women and men.

Moreover, the Indictment includes the damaging and destruction of mosques in the area of Brčko; after such destructions, the remaining construction material was removed and transported to other locations.

The accused Đorđe Ristanić is charged with the commission of the criminal offense of Crimes against Humanity, as referred to in Article 172 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This Indictment falls into Category 2 cases, which have been transferred to the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the ICTY during the investigation phase.

This Indictment of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most extensive Indictment ever issued for war crimes committed in the area of Brčko, even when the cases conducted at the ICTY are concerned.

The Indictment proposes summoning of more than 230 witnesses and expert witnesses, reading of statements of the witnesses who died in the meantime and presentation of several hundred pieces of evidentiary material, all of which puts this Indictment among the most extensive war crimes Indictments ever issued by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia Herzegovina.

The Indictment will be forwarded to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for confirmation.