Week ahead: Prijedor crimes verdict due
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On Friday, May 30 the verdict against Zeljko Mejakic, Momcilo Gruban and Dusko Knezevic, charged with crimes in Omarska and Keraterm, is due to be announced before the War Crimes Chamber of the State Court.
The Prosecution considers that the three men participated in a joint criminal enterprise, by committing murder, rape, beating and forcible detention of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats in the Omarska and Keraterm detention camps from May to August 1992.
In its closing arguments the Prosecution called for a long-term imprisonment, while the Defence teams said the allegations contained in the indictment had not been proved and their clients should be acquitted of the charges.
Next week, on Monday, May 26 Dusan Fustar, former guard commander in Keraterm detention camp in Prijedor, is due to appear again before the court. After he admitted guilt in April 2008, he was sentenced to nine years imprisonment. The Court is due to render a decision concerning his custody.
On Monday, May 26 new Prosecution witnesses are due to appear at the trial of Krsto Savic, chief of the Public Safety Center in Trebinje, and Milko Mucibabic, policeman, who are charged with the murder, abuse and detention of non-Serbs from Nevesinje, Kalinovik, Gacko and Bileca area.
On the same day and then again on Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29 the Prosecution is due to continue presenting evidence against Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba, who are charged with crimes in the Kalinovik area in 1992 and 1993. On the first day the Prosecution is due to complete the examination of witness Dika Suljic, who spoke about her detention and the death of her husband and son in Kalinovik.
On Tuesday, May 27 the Trial Chamber, sitting in the case of Sreten Lazarevic, Dragan Stanojevic, Mile Markovic and Slobodan Ostojic, will listen to the findings and opinion of a court expert on whether Prosecution witness Jusuf Omerovic is capable of testifying and whether indictee Markovic, whose Defence claims that he needs to be hospitalised, can follow the trial.
Omerovic has refused to testify two times already. The court police was not able to apprehend him. Following the presentation of the court expert’s findings, the Trial Chamber will make a decision concerning the further course of the trial of the four former members of the reserve police forces in Zvornik, who are charged with crimes in the detention camps in this municipality during the course of 1992.
The retrial of Nikola Andrun for crimes committed in Gabela detention camp in Capljina is due to continue on May 27 and May 30. Andrun was sentenced, by a first instance verdict, to 13 years’ imprisonment. However, the Appellate Chamber of the State Court revoked the verdict and ordered a retrial.
On May 27 and May 28 the Prosecution will examine new witnesses at the trial of Gojko Klickovic, Jovan Ostojic and Mladen Drljaca, former senior officials of the Serbian Democratic Party, Crisis Committee and Republika Srpska Army (VRS), who are charged with crimes committed in the Bosanska Krupa area in the course of 1991 and 1992.
On Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29 the trial is due to continue in the case of Ivica Vrdoljak, who is charged by the State Prosecution with having treated Bosnian Serbs, detained in various buildings in Derventa and Bosanski Brod, in an inhumane manner in 1992.
On the same dates the trial of the eleven indictees, who are charged with genocide in Srebrenica, is due to continue. The Trial Chamber decided to split the Kravica case into three separate cases: Milos Stupar and other eight indictees, Petar Mitrovic and Miladin Stevanovic, in order to give an opportunity to the Defence teams to cross-examine the two indictees, who gave statements to the
Prosecution in the course of the investigation. In those statements they spoke about their participation in the shooting of more than 1,000 Srebrenica residents in Kravica.
At the trial of Milos Stupar et al the nine Defence teams will have a chance to cross-examine Mitrovic and Stevanovic. At the trial of Mitrovic, his Defence will cross-examine Stevanovic, while Stevanovic’s Defence will cross-examine Mitrovic at the third trial.
The trial of Marko Radic, Dragan Sunjic, Damir Brekalo and Mirko Vracevic is due to continue on Thursday, May 29. The Prosecution charges the four former members of the Croatian Defence Council with the participating in the crimes in Vojno near Mostar, where, according to the indictment, detained Bosniaks were experienced torture every day.
