Gasal et al: Musters in detention camp

Jozo Tomas and Ozren Gvozdenovic, who testified at the trial of Nisvet Gasal, Musajb Kukavica, Enes Handzic and Senad Dautovic, described the difficult conditions in the detention camps in Bugojno municipality. They both said that Kukavica was the one who called out their names during daily “musters” in the “Iskra” stadium detention camp.

The State Prosecution considers Gasal and Kukavica, former members of the Public Safety Station in Bugojno, responsible for “abetting and supporting” the inhumane treatment of detainees in the detention camp formed at the “Iskra” football stadium in Bugojno. The indictment alleges that Gasal was a detention camp manager while Kukavica was commander of security.

Among other things, the indictment charged Handzic and Dautovic, former members of the Bosnian Army, with having taken Croatian civilians to detention camps, abused them, forced them to perform labour, killed and tortured them.

Witness Jozo Tomas said that he was captured in his house, but he did not say when this happened. He was then taken to the Cultural and Sports Centre, CSC, in Bugojno.

“They broke me up there. They used to beat me severely. They would order me to walk over glass, with my shoes off. They forced me to collect glass with my bare hands,” this witness said.

He claims to have been taken from the CSC to the furniture shop in Bugojno and then to “Vojin Paleksic” school building. In the end, “some time in August”, he was brought to “Iskra” stadium.

“There were so many people in there, that it was hard to find place for sleeping. They often took me to other locations to perform forced labour. Musters would take place every morning. Guards and commanders would call out our names. I remember that Kukavica used to call us out. I know him the best, because he was the one who escorted me when I had to take off tiles from a Croat’s house,” Tomas said, adding that he did not know what Kukavica’s first name was.

“They used to call him Kukavica. I do not know his name. I do not want to know. I wish I did not know his last name,” the witness said.

In the course of cross-examination Tomas said that he was released from the stadium “some time in November or December”, adding that other detainees told him that Gasal was the manager.

Speaking about the conditions at the stadium, he said that food “was horrible” and guards would sometimes pour gas into their meals.

Ozren Gvozdenovic, former policeman from Bugojno, said that he was among other military and civil policemen, who surrendered to the Bosnian Army, but he did not say when.

“After having surrendered, we went to the basement of the furniture shop. There was water up to our ankles. It was a dark hole…We did not have any place to lie down or sit. We did our needs into that water. They did not take me out to examine me, but to beat me up. Brigade policemen, who guarded us, used to take me out at night and hit me with rubber sticks. I had bruises only. They hit me on my head as well, but only if I looked up to see who was beating me. They knew how to beat us,” Gvozdenovic said.

The witness claims that, after having spent a few days in the furniture shop, he was transferred to “Vojin Paleksic” school, where he was exposed to physical abuse. He was then taken to “Iskra” stadium.

“We stayed in the rooms below the audience stands. The conditions there were better than in the furniture shop. We attended musters in the morning. Kukavica was the commander,” Gvozdenovic recalled.

The trial is due to continue on December 17, when the Prosecution will examine three new witnesses.