Hunger in “Viktor Bubanj”

Testifying for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jeremic says that he lived in Dobrinja neighbourhood in Sarajevo at the beginning of the war. He was captured and taken to “Sunce” building in June 1992. Two days later he was transferred to “Viktor Bubanj”.

“When we arrived, we leaned against the wall. A person hit me, but it did not hurt much. I was put into cell number seven,” Jeremic said.

As he said, he was transferred to another cell on the following day. 12 other detainees had already been there.

“The cell was a 6m2 room. We used to put our shoes underneath our heads. We could not stretch during sleep. (…) The food was horrible. We were hungry,” the witness said.

Ramiz Avdovic and Iulian-Nicolae Vintila are on trial for crimes committed in the former “Viktor Bubanj” barracks and Central Prison. They are charged with having participated, as members of a joint criminal enterprise, in the establishment and maintenance of a system for abuse of Serb civilians.

According to the charges, Avdovic was Commander of guards on the fifth floor of the District Prison in Sarajevo and former “Viktor Bubanj” military barracks, while Vintila was a cook and guard in the former barracks.

Witness Jeremic said that some of the guards treated detainees “in a terrible manner”. Also, he said that he used to perform forced labour at other locations during the course of his detention.

“I heard that some detainees were beaten up, while performing works. I was not beaten by anybody,” he said.

As he said, the living conditions in “Viktor Bubanj” did not improve during his detention. He said that he still suffered from consequences of his stay in the barracks.

He left the military barracks in late July 1992.

The trial is due to continue on October 11.