Indictment for Crimes in Batkovic Detention Camp

The Prosecution has announced that the indictees performed the functions of manager and deputy manager, as well as commander of guards in the Batkovic detention camp, called Collection Centre, in the period from 1992 to 1994.Under the indictment, the Prosecution has charged D.P., former Deputy Commander of the Garrison Command in Bijeljina and detention camp Manager in the period from September 4, 1992 to January 11, 1993, P.DJ., who worked as detention camp Manager from January 11, 1993 to June 6, 1994, and K.DJ., Deputy Manager of the detention camp in the period from 1993 to mid 1994.They are charged with having failed to punish the commanders, who were responsible for the death, brutal beating and mental abuse of detainees, as well as with having personally ordered and failed to prevent the taking of detained civilians to other locations, where they performed forced labour.A person, whose initials are M.Lj., has been charged in his capacity as Commander of the Detention Camp Guard Squad in the period from June 5, 1992 to December 1, 1993.According to the charges, he personally beat and mentally abused about 20 detainees and ordered other guards to physically abuse the civilians.The District Prosecution was not able to confirm the indictees’ identity. Some media reports indicate that the indictment has charged Petar Dmitrovic, Djoko Pajic, Djordje Krstic and Ljubisa Misic.The indictment alleges that about 1,700 Bosniak, Croat and other non-Serb civilians and prisoners of war from the Podrinje, Posavina, Semberija and other areas were held in the detention camp in Batkovic.It further alleges that six detainees died after having been beaten up, one detainee was killed from a rifle, while tens of them were beaten up.The indictment, which charges the indictees with war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war, has been confirmed by the District Court in Bijeljina. The indictees are due to enter their pleas in the coming period.M.T.