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A protected State Prosecution witness testifies at a closed session during the trial of Veselin ‘Batko’ Vlahovic.
State Prosecutor Behaija Krnjic asked the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to exclude the public during the examination of witness S3, because “she experienced rape by the indictee and this had consequences on her physical and mental health”.
The Defence pointed out that it was still not known whether witness S3 was raped or whether it was done by indictee Vlahovic, but it did not object to the request for exclusion of public. The Trial Chamber then approved the State Prosecution’s request.
“The witness kept her experiences secret and did not tell her family about them out of fear and shame. In case her family finds out what happened to her, it would cause problems to witness S3,” Prosecutor Krnjic explained.
The State Prosecution charges Vlahovic with having killed and participated in the killing of more than 30 persons in Grbavica, Vraca and Kovacici area from May to August 1992 and, acting on his own or in collaboration with other armed persons, abused, beat up and confiscated money and other valuables from Croat and Bosnian citizens.
On May 25, 2011 the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina filed a second indictment against Vlahovic, charging him in 14 counts with murder or taking in an unknown direction and forcible disappearances of 14 persons, as well as rape, torture, beating and abuse of civilians.
Prosecutor Krnjic said that one of the reasons for requesting the exclusion of public was a possibility of witness S3 mentioning the name of another witness, who had still not been granted protection measures, during the course of her testimony.
“In case the witness mentions the name of the witness, who has still not been granted protection measures by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the media publishes the witness’s name, the testimony of that witness might be impeded,” Krnjic said.
According to the State Court’s official trial schedule, this trial is due to continue on September 19, 2011.
S.U.
