Custody of Bozidar Kuvelja Extended

As per the Court’s decision, Kuvelja may be held in custody until March 17, 2011.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspects that the former member of the Jahorina Training Centre with the Special Brigade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, MUP RS, participated in the execution of several dozen Bosniak men in Kravica Agricultural Cooperative, Bratunac municipality, in July 1995.

Kuvelja was arrested on January 18 this year. He has been held in custody since then.

State Prosecutor Ibro Bulic asked the Court to order a one-month extension of custody as he would need that much time to examine the few remaining witnesses. Bulic said that Kuvelja’s release to liberty would “seriously disturb the further course of the investigation”.

“The suspect did not participate in the crime on his own. At least one squad of the unit to which Kuvelja belonged participated in it. Many perpetrators of that crime are on the run. They are in Serbia. While at liberty, the suspect may try to contact them,” the Prosecution argued.

The Defence objected to the Prosecution’s motion, adding that Kuvelja had been at liberty for 15 years and he knew that an investigation was underway, but he he had never influenced a single witness or alleged accomplice.