INDICTMENT ISSUED AGAINST SEVEN PERSONS FOR WAR CRIMES IN ŽEPČE

The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH issued an indictment against the following persons: 

1. Luka Babić*, born in 1965 in Teslić
2. Alojz Vrbić aka “Vrba”*, born in 1957 in Zavidovići
3. Marinko Martić aka “Žilo”*, born in 1960 in Žepče
4. Franjo Jozić*, born in 1964 in Žepče
5. Viktor Markanović , aka “Karika”*, born in 1960 in Žepče
6. Slavko Spajić, aka “Spaja”*, born in 1959 in Zavidovići
7. Ivo Mrkonjić aka “Cvaka”*, born in 1962 in Žepče.

The accused are charged with having acted in violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War in 1993 and 1994, as members of the HVO /Croatian defense Council/ Military Police and the civilian police in Žepče.

In a total of 66 counts of the indictment, they are charged with war crimes against dozens of Bosniak civilians who were unlawfully detained in makeshift prison facilities, including torture, abuse, beatings and other inhumane treatment resulting in the deaths, unlawful taking of persons to war zone for forced labor which resulted in the deaths of several persons and wounding of many who were not provided adequate medical care after, as well as rape.

The accused are charged with the criminal offense of War Crimes against Civilians under Article 173 of the Criminal Code of BiH.