Local Justice – Tuzla: Two Indictments for War Crimes

The crimes committed in Smoluca village, Lukavac municipality, is charged upon former members of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS Milorad Cvijanovic-Micko (46), Milorad Cvijanovic (66), Svetomir Ilic (49) and Vaso Ilic (51).The indictment alleges that they used to beat prisoners, by hitting them with their legs, hands, metal sticks, batons, knives and rifle butts.The Tuzla Prosecution filed another indictment against Hajrudin Trle, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who is charged with mistreating captured VRS members and killing Drago Stevanovic from an automatic gun at Banj brdo on Mount Majevica, Kalesija municipality.The two trials are underway before the Cantonal Court in Tuzla as per the confirmed indictments.The trial of Nedzad Oric, Hamed Salihovic and Azem Ahmic before that same Court was completed during last year. The Court sentenced Oric to three years and both Salihovic and Ahmic to one year in prison for having beaten Stevo Tesic up in the vicinity of Srebrenik in July 1995.The Tuzla Cantonal Prosecution filed an appeal against this verdict with the Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This Court upheld an appeal by the Tuzla Cantonal Prosecution pertaining to a verdict against Ivan Koler, who was acquitted of the charges that he mistreated prisoners of war in Tuzla in 1992.During the past year the Tuzla Prosecution discontinued investigations for war crimes against 12 individuals and rendered two orders not to conduct investigations.