Local Justice: Anniversary of Murder of Civilians in Zenica

“The day was sunny. My son Tarik went out for a walk. He was just 14 years old. Nobody has been taken to court for his death and the death of other innocent people,” says Dika Mutapcic, a resident of Zenica.

Zenica was shelled on multiple occasions during the war in Bosnia. The Zenica-Doboj Cantonal Prosecution is processing cases pertaining to the shelling, but the cases are treated as “crimes committed by unknown perpetrators”.

“Given the fact that they are treated as crimes committed by unknown perpetrators, they are not considered a priority. In terms of other characteristics, these cases are expansive. There is a minimal chance that they will result in a verdict of conviction,” said Redzo Delic, Prosecutor with the Zenica Prosecution.

The Prosecutor said that basic data, like reports on crime scene investigations, photographs, expert findings and so on, are missing in most of these cases.

In addition, Delic said that it was very unlikely that the person who issued the order to kill civilians by shelling would be found and punished.

The murder of civilians in Zenica on April 19, 1993 was included in the indictment against Tihomir Blaskic, who was sentenced, before the Hague Tribunal, to nine years in prison for crimes against humanity. However, Blaskic was not pronounced guilty of the shelling of Zenica.

Dž.S.

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This text was written as part of a project supported by US citizens through USAID in Bosnia and Herzegovina. BIRN is fully responsible for the content of the text, which does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, or the US Government.