Neskovic and Ilic: Back to Custody Order Requested

Explaining the custody order motion for indictee Neskovic, State Prosecutor Erik Larson said that there was a possibility that he might flee, adding that the public and public order would be disturbed by his stay at liberty.

The Defence of Neskovic objected to the motion, saying that it was groundless.

“Prohibiting measures were ordered. The possibility of his flee is therefore excluded. Neskovic is the citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His documents have been confiscated. He has not demonstrated an intention to cross the border,” said Vesna Tupajic-Skiljevic, Defence attorney of the indictee.

The Trial Chamber will render a decision concerning the motion at a later stage.

The prohibiting measures ordered against Neskovic include a ban on leaving his place of residence and traveling outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina, confiscation of all valid documents, a ban on contacting certain persons and an obligation to report to a police station every day.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Neskovic and Zoran Ilic, former members of the “Jahorina” Training Centre with the Special Police Brigade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, MUP of RS, with having participated in the capture of Bosniak men, who were then taken to the Agricultural Cooperative in Kravica, Bratunac municipality and executed on July 13 and 14, 1995.

According to the charges, indictee Neskovic ordered two members of the Center, who were known to him, to kill two Bosniak men, who had been captured. They allegedly carried out the order.

The indictment alleges that, by shooting from an automatic gun on a pile of bodies of prisoners, who had been shot, indictee Ilic “checked” if any of them survived the shooting.

As the trial continued Prosecutor Larson introduced about 65 pieces of material evidence in an attempt to prove the existence of a widespread systematic attack against civilians in Srebrenica in July 1995.

Among other things, the documents included Directive number 7 issued by Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska and supreme Commander of RS armed forces, related to Srebrenica.

The Directive number 7 referred to combat activities, which were predetermined, to be conducted by the Republika Srpska Army, VRS with the aim of generating uncertainty “without hope for survival and life of Srebrenica residents”.

Karadzic is on trial before the Hague Tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war. The indictment alleges that he was member of a joint criminal enterprise aimed at persecuting the Bosniak and Croat population from the territories claimed by Serbs.

Prosecutor Larson presented photographs of a warehouse in Kravica, depicting traces of blood, as well as a number of pieces of evidence about the missing persons from Srebrenica in an attempt to substantiate the allegations related to the nature of the attack on that town.

Milos Peric, Defence attorney of the indictee, objected to the relevance of most of the documents, saying that they did not prove the existence of a widespread systematic attack against civilians. Tupajic-Skiljevic objected to the relevance of some of the Prosecution’s documents.

The trial is due to continue on October 4 this year, when Prosecutor Larson will continue presenting material evidence.

A.J.