Karadzic: Beating is Cheaper than Bullet

Hague Prosecution witnesses testifying at Radovan Karadzic’s trial speak about the detention, beating and murder of the Bosniak population in Vlasenica and Bratunac in 1992.

Ibro Osmanovic from Vlasenica told the Court that he was arrested in May 1992, detained in the police station in that town and then transferred to the municipality building and Susica detention camp and then finally taken to Batkovic detention camp, Bijeljina municipality.

The witness said that a group consisting of more than 30 men was taken out of the municipality building in June that year, adding that only three of them survived. He met one of them in Susica.

“The three of them stayed in Susica, while a bus drove the rest of us to the Debelo brdo area. The men, who were in that group, were found dead after the war and buried,” Osmanovic said.

He said that detainees were subjected to constant beating in the buildings in which they were held. The witness specifically described the cruel way in which a person named Reuf Rasidagic was treated.

“Dragan Nikolic beat him up five times in five days. Reuf begged him to kill him, but he said: ‘A bullet is too expensive for that. It costs three marks a shot’,” Osmanovic said.

Dragan Nikolic, Manager of Susica detention camp, was sentenced before The Hague Tribunal to 20 years in prison.

The witness said that he was transferred to Batkovic, while his younger brother stayed in Susica, adding that he never saw him again. As he said, his sister too was killed in that period. The witness said that he was still searching for 33 members of his broader family.

“You stay alone. You have nobody to visit you. All you do is search for bones… I do not administer justice, but I hope that those who did that will face justice,” Osmanovic said.

Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska, is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and the violation of the laws and customs of war. He is indicted for having participated in a joint criminal enterprise with the aim of persecuting the Bosniak and Croat in the municipalities claimed by Serbs.

Protected witness KDZ-605 spoke about the detention and mistreatment of the Bosniak population in Bratunac. He was held at the city stadium and in the school building, where he witnessed detainees being abused. He was then transferred to Pale together with other detainees.  

According to his discoveries, “Arkan’s” and “Seselj’s” units arrived in Bratunac on April 17, 1992.

The Trial Chamber rejected Karadzic’s request to order a break in the trial in order to enable the Defence to familiarise itself with the evidence pertaining to witness KDZ-490, which was subsequently revealed. The Chamber ordered the Prosecution not to invite the mentioned witness prior to October 17, so the indictee would have time to review the materials.

The trial is due to continue on Monday, August 29.