Local Justice – Mostar: Fourth Trial for “Vranica”

Mate Anicic, Ivan Skutor and Erhad Poznic, former members of military police with the Croatian Defence Council, HVO are charged with crimes against the civilian population and prisoners of war.

They are indicted for crimes committed after an attack by HVO forces on the Vranica residential complex in Mostar in May 1993. Thirteen members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, were later killed.

“Considering the fact that this is an extremely complex and comprehensive case, which was has been revoked three times, and that many witnesses were examined and many pieces of material evidence presented, the Court is ordering the Cantonal Prosecutor to provide the Court within the next 30 days with a list of witnesses, who should be examined, specifying the circumstances about which they should testify and the count to which their testimonies will refer,” said Trial Chamber Chairman Zoran Krtalic.

The Defence teams were given the same deadline to propose their lists of witnesses.

Zeljko Dzidic was originally the first indictee in this case, but the proceedings against him were separated from the others on January 12 this year as he is not available to police and judicial authorities.

The “Vranica” trial before the Cantonal Court in Mostar first began in 2000. So far it has been renewed three times. The Mostar Court acquitted the four indictees of the charges three times, but the Supreme Court revoked the verdict all three times.
S.G.