INDICTMENT ISSUED FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN THE AREA OF PRIJEDOR
29.12.2022. 15:39A prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an indictment against: 1. Slavko Puhalić, born in 1955 in Prijedor, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2. Željko Rudak, AKA "Deba", born in 1972 in Prijedor, citizen of BiH, 3. Dragan Škrbić, born in 1967 in Prijedor, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 4. Dragoje Čavić, born in 1960 in Prijedor, citizen of BiH, 5. Rajko Damjanović, born in 1972 in Prijedor, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i 6. Dragomir Šaponja, born in 1965 in Prijedor, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The accused are charged with having, during a widespread and systematic attack directed at Ethnic Bosniak and Croat civilian population in the area of Prijedor and its surroundings, in their capacities - the first accused as an investigator and deputy warden of the "Trnopolje" camp and a superior person to all guard shifts, and the other accused in the status of guards in the camps - participated in the execution of a joint criminal enterprise, carried out persecution on a discriminatory basis, based on national, political and religious affiliation, acting contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law.
The indictment states that in the Prijedor camps "Trnopolje", "Keraterm" and "Omarska", established in the area of Prijedor in 1992 by the Crisis Staff and other civil and military authorities, Ethnic Bosniak and Croat civilians, men, women, children and the elderly, were illegally imprisoned, more than 30 thousand of them. With the aim of persecution from the area of Prijedor, the victims were subjected to forced and illegal imprisonment in camps, torture, rape, sexual and other abuse, murders, forced abduction and disappearance, and the accused, in their respective roles, aided and contributed to the commission of the aforementioned crimes, as well as directly perpetrated certain inhumane acts against imprisoned civilians.The accused are, inter alia, charged with rape of at least 10 women and girls, among whom were minors, one of whom died because of the abuse, and the rape caused forced pregnancy and childbirth in two victims. As a result of the abuse, at least 21 prisoners died, and 5 prisoners were forcibly taken in an unknown direction and have been missing without a trace to date, their bodies have not been found to this day.
The accused are charged with the criminal offense of Crimes against Humanity under Article 172 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The prosecution will prove the allegations of the indictment by calling 180 witnesses, of which 21 witnesses with assigned protective measures, 3 expert witnesses and by attaching more than 900 pieces of evidence.