Selimovic et al: Evidence About Death of Prisoners of War
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The material evidence presented by the State Prosecution included, among other things, an official document issued by the Military Safety Service in February 1995, which contains, as explained by Prosecutor Dubravko Campara, information about the position and movement of indictees Mehura Selimovic and Adil Ruznic.
The Prosecution presented a file about the death of prisoner of war Pero Balaban which shows, as explained by the Prosecutor, that indictee Selimovic was a “member of the team which conducted an investigation into an event in January 1995”.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Selimovic, Ruznic and Mustafic with having assisted in and abetted the detention of Serb soldiers and civilians in detention centers in Bihac, Cazin and Bosanski Petrovac from 1994 to 1996.
The indictment alleges that Selimovic was Counter-intelligence Officer, Operational Officer and Deputy Chief of the Military Security Services Section with the Fifth Corps of ABiH, Ruznic was Assistant Commander for Security and Operational Officer with the same Section and Mustafic was a member of the Military Police Unit with the Fifth Corps of ABiH.
Among other things, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented a report on the death of Milan Demic, prisoner of war, which was accompanied by an official note about his beating. Campara said that on the basis of the mentioned report, the Prosecution wanted to prove that the Military Security Section was “informed about these happenings as part of the line of authority and responsibility”.
In addition, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented an order given by the Command of the ABiH Fifth Corps in December 1995 pertaining to the relocation of a prisoner from the Adil Besic military barracks to a collection center.
“With this piece of evidence we would like to prove that collection centers were formed with individual brigades,” Campara said.
Alaga Bajramovic, Defence attorney for the second indictee, said that in the order issued in December 1995 it was written that “prisoners had to be transferred to collection centers due to the military activities taking place in the vicinity”.
The Prosecution presented several pieces of material evidence pertaining to the exchange of prisoners in November and December 1995 and the monitoring of persons who worked as guards in collection centers. The Prosecution said that the documents had been signed by indictee Ruznic.
The indictees’ Defence did not object to most of the evidence.
The trial is due to continue on January 26, when the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue presenting its material evidence.
E.M.
