INDICTMENT ISSUED FOR WAR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS AND PRISONERS OF WAR

A Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an indictment against Kerim Lučarević, born in Sarajevo in 1958, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The accused is charged with having, during the international armed conflict between parts of the former YNA and Teritorial Defense of the R BiH in the area of Sarajevo, in the time period from 3 May until mid-May 1992, within the scope of his authority and in his capacity as the commander of the Military Police of the Republic Headquarters of the Territorial Defense of BiH, acted contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law.

The accused is charged with having, on 3 May 1992, after an attack was carried out on an undefended mixed column of soldiers and civilians employed in the former YNA, under the escort of the United Nations peacekeeping forces, in his capacity as the commander of the Military Police, failed to take the necessary and reasonable measures to punish the perpetrators of killings and wounding of soldiers and civilians, and to prevent physical and psychological abuse of captured YNA members, as well as to punish the perpetrators of these acts.

The indictment of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH also refers to the events of 3 May 1992, related to the suffering of 8 killed victims with established identities, including civilians and medical personnel, the wounding of 24 people, and the capture of dozens of soldiers and civilians who were tortured, abused and imprisoned in the premises of FIS, TD of Republic Headquarters Bosnia and Herzegovina in the building of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the fifth floor of the Central Prison.

The accused is charged with having committed the criminal offenses of War Crimes against Civilians under Article 173, and War Crimes against the Wounded and Sick under Article 174, War Crimes against Prisoners of War under Article 175, and Unlawful Killing or Wounding the Enemy under Article 177 all in conjunction with Article 180 of the CC BiH.

The indictment was forwarded to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for confirmation.