Gasal et al: Indictment instead of Medal

“Considering the complexity of this case and the fact that the trial has lasted three-and-a-half years, as well as the fact that all pieces of evidence have to be translated into English, the pronouncement of the
verdict is somewhat delayed,” Trial Chamber Chairman Davorin Jukic said.

By law, a verdict should be pronounced three days after the completion of the main trial. The Defence of Senad Dautovic presented its closing statement at this hearing, calling for a verdict of release. It was said
that the indictee performed his tasks in accordance with the law during the course of the war.

“One can see that he is a professional, who did all he could to protect civilians. Instead of being given a medal, he was indicted,” Defence attorney Refik Serdarevic said.

The Defence attorney said that, in his capacity as Chief of the Public Safety Station in Bugojno, Dautovic did all he could to prevent the conflict between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, and Croatian Defence Council, HVO, and to normalise the situation once the combats had begun.

“HVO members surrendered to my client. People had confidence in him… It is important to say that we are talking about captives, not about the civilian population,” Serdarevic said, adding that, once their status was determined, the Croat civilians were taken to their homes.

“As chief of police, he was responsible for protecting the civilian population and important buildings during the course of the conflict. That is what he did. No civilians were killed thanks to Dautovic,” the Defence attorney said.

Dautovic is charged with the responsibility for inhumane treatment, murder, torture and forcing Croat civilians and HVO members, who were held in the stadium detention camp and at many other locations in Bugojno, to perform hard labour.

According to the charges, Dautovic, former Commander of the Joint Command, Chief of Police and member of the wartime Presidency of Bugojno, failed to undertake any activities in order to prevent those unlawful actions.

On the other hand, the Defence says that the indictee did all he could to prevent crimes. As an example, it mentioned that the brother of a police commander was arrested, as per his order, for raping two Croat women.

Also, Serdarevic denied the allegations that Dautovic was Commander of the Joint Command, adding that he coordinated the units in the central part of the town during the course of the conflict, but he was neither superior to the Commander of the 307th Brigade nor the Western Operational Group.

“I did all I could within the range of my competencies, in order to prevent violation of the Geneva Conventions. I did not commit any crimes. I did not fail to punish my subordinates knowing that they had committed crimes,” Dautovic said, presenting his closing statement before the Trial Chamber.

Dautovic is on trial with Nisvet Gasal and Musajb Kukavica, who are charged, as Manager of “Iskra” stadium detention camp and Commander of Guards, with the inhumane treatment of about 300 detained members of the HVO.