Gasal et al: Situation Improving Drastically

“I often meet my friends who were detained in the detention camp. We speak about those times and the events in the prison. We are surprised by the fact that Gasal and Kukavica are here, that they are on trial, and they helped all of us whenever they could,” Zdenko Ivos, testifying for the Defence of Nisvet Gasal and Musajb Kukavica, said. Gasal, Kukavica, Enes Handzic and Senad Dautovic are charged with crimes committed against Croats in Bugojno during 1993 and 1994.

The Prosecution considers that Gasal and Kukavica were responsible for the functioning of “Iskra” stadium detention camp, where about 300 Croat civilians were held in “inhumane conditions”. Handzic, former Assistant Commander for Security with the 307th Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, and Dautovic, a former member of the ABiH Joint Headquarters, are charged with participation in “making plans for the detention of civilians”.

Ivos said he was a member of the Second Battalion of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, adding that members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina detained him “after the HVO forces had surrendered”.

“We were first taken to the ‘Stipe Djerek’ school building and then to the gymnasium in the evening. We stayed there for a few days. We were then taken to the ‘Vojin Paleksic’ school building and the furniture shop. Finally, we were transferred to the stadium prison in mid August,” the witness said.

Ivos said that one Meho Sadikovic was the detention camp Manager in August 1993, adding that prisoners used to sleep on the floor, they could use one toilet, which was flooded, and that they were “exposed to beatings”.

“They used to beat us, but this was done at night. They would call out someone’s name and point to the person using a flashlight. The person would go out, they would put a bag on his head and beat him up. Upon return, the man would only say that he had been beaten,” Ivos said.

As stated by the witness, Nisvet Gasal was appointed Manager of the detention camp in October 1993. He said the situation “drastically improved”
as of then.

“With the arrival of the new management team, three or four new toilets were installed outside the cells. We used to spend more time outside than before. Kukavica helped us make new beds. (…) Depending on the agreements, the guards would take us out to bathe every ten days,” Ivos said.

The witness said that guards who were members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs beat detainee Kazimir Kajic “in November or December”. He said the guards were dismissed a short time later.

Kazimir Kajic testified for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina in April last year, when he spoke about having been tortured in the detention camps in Bugojno.

The second witness, Enver Halilovic, told the Court he was a member of the First Battalion with the 307th Motorized Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993. He said he once participated in “escorting detainees to the location where they dug trenches”.

“They worked the whole day. At some stage the shooting started. I proposed that we hide in a dug out. (…) However, a projectile hit the ground between us. I was wounded. They said they would try to save me. They carried me up to the Command. I remember members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina got scared when we arrived there,” Halilovic said.

The indictment alleges that detainees were taken to the front lines to perform forced labour. It further alleges that they were used as humane shields.

The next hearing is due to take place on February 17, 2010, when indictee Nisvet Gasal will testify for his Defence.