Monika Karan-Ilic’s Trial Continues in Absence of the Public

At the beginning of the hearing the witness complained about their poor health. After that Amela Mustafic, Prosecutor with the Brcko District Prosecution, proposed that public be excluded from the hearing. The Trial Chamber accepted her proposal. The witness previously submitted medical documents, including, among other things, a recommendation from doctors from a clinic in Tuzla. According to the recommendation, the witness should not appear at the trial due to their extremely deteriorated mental and physical condition, which was caused by torture in Luka detention camp in Brcko. “Appearing at this trial might cause an additional trauma to the witness and even lead to his death,” says one of the medical reports submitted to the Trial Chamber. Prosecutor Mustafic insisted that the witness should not appear in court, but that his statement given during the investigation should be read in the courtroom instead. After the Defence had objected to the proposal and an expert examination of the witness’ capability to participate in the trial had been conducted, the Trial Chamber invited the witness to testify. The indictment charges Karan-Ilic in eight counts with having tortured, treated in an inhumane manner, caused severe suffering and physically and mentally abused the civilian population in Luka concentration camp and the Public Safety Station premises in Brcko every day in the period from the beginning of May to July 10, 1992.
The two other Prosecution witnesses, namely Nermin Dervisevic and Izeta Elezovic, who have lived in the United States of America, USA, for years, did not appear at this hearing. The trial is due to continue on May 13.