Local Justice Pudic: Beating in Luke Detention Camp
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Pudic said that, as per an order of the then Police Chief Dragan Veselic, he was deployed to Luka detention camp in Brcko as a guard as of May 24, 1992.
As he knew that detainees were being beaten up in Luka, Veselic sent me to Luka to check what was going on and inform him about everything. I stayed in Luka until June 15. I witnessed horrible things during that period of time. I personally knew most of the detainees. People were beaten up and abused, but I did not personally see any murders, Pudic said.
Pudic told the Court that he saw that Serb soldiers, who did not dare go to the frontlines, terrorised the powerless civilians and robbed people in the town.
On two occasions I saw Goran Jelisic, known as Adolf, beat prisoners up on his own. The first time he did it to Amir Didic and then to Andrija Tufekdzic as well. I reported both incidents to the Chief. I know that he sent an interventions police squad to Luka in order to prevent that. Jelisic even threatened me because of that, Pudic said.
The indictment charges Pudic, former policeman with the Public Safety Station in Brcko and guard in Luka detention camp in Brcko, in six counts with having tortured, caused severe suffering and participated in the physical and mental abuse of detainees.
Goran Jelisic admitted guilt for crimes in Brcko before The Hague Tribunal in 2001. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Pudic said that Goran Jelisic was the most responsible person for the crimes committed in Luka detention camp.
He was the master of life and death at that time. I secretly tried to help some detainees, whom I knew, but I eventually asked to be redeployed to another location because of all the things that happened to me and Jelisics threats. After that I was deployed to the front lines, the indictee said, adding that he tried to help whomever he could during the war.
Testifying as Defence witness at this hearing, Sadik Ibrisevic said that he used to work with Pudic as a policeman before the war, adding that, as far as he knew, he was a nice and reliable man.
I spent two days in Luka, but I did not see Pudic. Nobody has ever told me, at that time or later, that Pudic did any harm to anybody, Ibrisevic said.
During the next hearing, scheduled for September 25, 2012, the Defence of Pudic will present its material evidence and both parties will present their closing statements. The Court will then set a date for the pronouncement of the verdict.
