Bastah et al: Punished for some uncut grass

The Prosecution charges Predrag Bastah, known as Tsar, and Goran Viskovic, also known as Vjetar, with having participated in the murder, mental and sexual abuse, torture and forcible disappearances of civilians from Vlasenica area from April to September 1992.

The witness said that Viskovic took “between 10 and 13 Bosniaks” from Susica detention camp to some fields, owned by Slobodan Mitrovic. Upon their arrival he told them to plough the entire area, and “if one single weed remains, they would be beaten up”.

“When we finished, Viskovic came and checked what we did. He found a little bit of grass near the place where I was. A small boy was tasked with tilling that particular piece of land. As I was standing next to him, he ordered me to hit him, but I refused to do that. Then he told him to hit me. When he realised that the boy was not hitting me hard enough, he started doing it with his fists and legs, while cursing me. This lasted until I fell to the ground,” Mehcic said.

The witness recalled that, later that day, upon their arrival to the detention camp, Viskovic said that he had to go somewhere, so he detained them in a truck trailer, “until he gets back.”

“It was horrible in there. It was June, so it was very hot. There was no air, so some people fainted, while others started throwing up. We started banging against the trailer walls, hoping that someone would hear us. Some time later a Serbian soldier came and rescued us,” Mehcic said.

In the course of cross-examination indictee Viskovic did not have any questions for the witness. He told the Trial Chamber that “the witness is saying nothing but lies”.

Witness Aida Hodzic was examined at this hearing. She said that she lost her husband and father in Vlasenica in 1992, adding that she was detained in Susica detention camp.

“In late April Serb soldiers took my father and husband away for the first time. They returned them a couple of hours later. They looked horrible. They were totally beaten up. This happened a few more times,” Hodzic said.

This witness said that, in early June 1992 she was taken to Susica detention camp, just like her daughter and other Muslim female neighbours. Her father and husband stayed in the house. However, she claims she has never seen them alive again.

“My father was found, last year, in a secondary mass grave. However, I have never found the remains of my husband Senadin,” Hodzic said.

The trial is due to continue on September 26, 2008.