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Peric et al: Taking Away of a Neighbour

24. January 2012.00:00
At the trial for crimes in Kalinovik, the protected witness of the Defence said that she found out that indictee Predrag Terzic was not involved in the arrest of Serifa Hadzic in the village of Mjehovina, municipality of Kalinovik, in June 1992.

This post is also available in: Bosnian

The witness, testifying under the pseudonym of C said before the State Court that she was hiding in woods near the village of Mjehovina, together with neighbour Serifa Hadzic and several others in June 1992.

“One day while we were hiding, Serifa said that down in the village she saw Zeljaja and another Savo. She approached them and they told her that she had to search for weapons in the village. Since she did not find anything, they repelled her to the prison in the school”, said witness C.

The protected witness added that after a while she was also taken to a prison in Kalinovik, and that there again she met Serifa Hadzic, from whom she found out that “Zeljala and Savo” arrested her.

At the hearing held in June last year, Resad Hadzic testified in favor of the State Prosecution, and he said that he learned that his mother, Serifa, who died after the war, was taken away from the village of Mjehovina to the “Miladin Radojevic” primary school in Kalinovik by indictees Predrag Terzic, Aleksandar Cerovina and another policeman.

Besides Terzic and Cerovina, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Milan Peric and Spasoje Doder, former members of the Public Safety Station in Kalinovik, of crimes against the non-Serb population from the area of Kalinovik in 1992.

The State Prosecution considers that the indictees participated in the unlawful arrest of civilians and taking them to the “Miladin Radojevic” school building and “Barutni magacin” (“Gunpowder Depot”) detention camp.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rendered a second instance verdict, sentencing Nedjo Zeljaja, former Commander of the Police Station with the Public Safety Station in Kalinovik, to 15 years in prison for crimes in Kalinovik.

Protected Witness C was the last witness of the Defence at the trial of Peric, Doder, Terzic and Cerovina. At the next hearing, it is scheduled that the Defence enter material evidences into the court file, by which the procedure of presenting of evidence would be completed.

The trial is due to continue on Tuesday, February 7 this year.D.Dz.

This post is also available in: Bosnian