Local Justice – Mostar: One Year in Prison for Jarak
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Jarak, former member of Knez Domagoj Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, was found guilty of having participated in unlawful detention and forcible resettlement of the Bosniak population from Stolac.
On July 17, 1993 the indictee, who was accompanied by two unidentified HVO members, arrested Maid Rudic, Dzevad Avdic and Mustafa Avdic in Osanici village, tied their hands with barbed wire and cursed their Muslim mothers. He then took them to Vlatko Raguz’ house, where the HVO Command was situated, knowing that they would be taken to the Kostana hospital and Dretelj later on, said Trial Chamber Chairman Hamo Kebo.
Besides that, the Chamber pronounced the indictee guilty of the forcible resettlement of the Bosniak population from Stolac. Women and children were transported from Stolac to Blagaj, which was under the control of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ARBiH, while men were taken to the detention camp.
Jarak was acquitted of the charges that he came to Munib and Muhiba Topic’s house several times and threatened them by saying that he would set them on fire and that Muhiba Topic committed suicide due to his threats.
The Court has determined that those were just threats, which were not realised, so we have determined that they cannot be regarded as evidence, Kebo said.
He said that the Chamber pronounced the shortest possible imprisonment sentence.
We thought that this crime did not deserve a longer sentence. We understand that it was hard not to execute an order at that time, but, despite that, you should not have carried out those orders. Therefore, the arrest and unlawful detention of civilians constitutes a war crime against the civilian population, the judge explained.
S.G.
