Bosnian Serb Detainee Recalls Prison Camp Violence

Ex-prisoner Pero Bratic, who used to live in the Hadzici area at the beginning of the war, told the court in Sarajevo on Thursday that he was taken to the Silos camp in the town in June 1992.

“When we entered the prison cell, we saw other people in it. They looked scared. They had some scratches and a few bruises on their bodies,” he said.

He said that when he arrived at Silos, he saw Becir Hujic, who he was told was the detention centre’s manager.

Hujic is charged, along with Halid Covic, Mustafa Djelilovic, Fadil Covic, Mirsad Sabic, Nezir Kazic, Serif Mesanovic and Nermin Kalember with war crimes against prisoners in the Silos camp, the Krupa barracks and the 9th of May school in Hadzici.

According to the indictment, Hujic was the warden of the Silos camp, as was Halid Covic at a later date. Mesanovic was one of the deputy wardens at the detention centre and also camp warden in the Krupa military barracks, while the others were members of the civilian, military or police authorities.

Describing the conditions at the Silos camp, Bratic said that five or six detainees had to share one portion of food.

After spending ten days there, he was transferred to the 9th of May school building, where he said that a man called Ibro Jamakovic beat him up.
 
“He took me out, saying that I should bring some food. When I came to the corridor, he hit me underneath my ribs and on my head, so I fell down,” he said.

“After I fell down, he continued beating me. I lost consciousness for a short time,” the witness continued, adding that apart from this incident, he was not beaten again while in detention.
 
The trial is due to continue on June 13.