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Bojadzic: Jumping on a Prisoner

30. November 2012.00:00
Testifying at the trial for crimes in Jablanica, a State Prosecution witness says that indictee Nihad Bojadzic used to beat prisoners Karlo Maric and Mario Zelenika.

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Mladen Peric, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, said that his detention in “The Battle of Neretva” Museum from April 1993 to March 1994 was miserable and sad. He recalled prisoners being taken out and lined by the indictee, who then addressed them.

“Now you will hear my story. I have just come back from Ljubuski, where I visited my prisoners. The conditions are horrible. They drink urine instead of tea. Now, you too will drink urine,” the witness said, recalling what Bojadzic told them.
Judging by his accent, the witness concluded that the indictee’s place of origin was Sandzak.

Peric said that, when prisoners were escorted to the toilet, he briefly saw Bojadzic, a person named Popara and another soldier jumping on prisoner Karlo Maric, who, as he said, was Commander of HVO in Grabovica.

Defence attorney Vasvija Vidovic asked the witness why he failed to mention that he saw that event during the investigation. Peric responded by saying that “the woman who examined me did not go into details”.

The witness mentioned that he was in another room, when Zelenika was beaten up, but he recognised Bojadzic’s voice. He agreed with the Defence attorney, who said that some members of “Zuka’s unit” had the same accent as the indictee.

Bojadzic, former Deputy Commander of “Zulfikar” Unit of ABiH, is charged with having participated in the torture and inhumane treatment of Croat civilians and prisoners of war in Jablanica.

Protected witness I testified at this hearing as well. He said that, in late July or at the beginning of August 1993 HVO shelled Jablanica and that civilians got killed. As he said, he went to “The Battle of Neretva” Museum with policemen Enes Maksumic, known as Cadjo, and Azem Ibrovic in revolt.

The witness said that he slapped prisoner Mario Zelenika, whom he knew, twice, while Ibrovic and Maksumic hit him with their hands.

As he said, indictee Bojadzic, who was accompanied by some soldiers, came soon after that and began cursing and shouting: “Bring them here. I’ll show them!”

The witness said that prisoner Miroslav Stipanovic was brought to the room and that Bojadzic hit him with a shovel, but he did not see whether he also hit prisoner Mario Zelenika at the same time.

The public was excluded several times during this hearing when the witness spoke about the sexual abuse of prisoners in the Museum corridor. During the open parts of the hearing it could only be heard that the witness said that Bojadzic ordered a prisoner to take his underpants off.

According to the charges, Bojadzic ordered two prisoners to sexually abuse each other in the corridor of “The Battle of Neretva” Museum.

The trial is due to continue on December 20.

This post is also available in: Bosnian