Prisoners of War Harassed on Bus

Witnesses Ranko Gojic and Dusko Knezevic said they cannot identify persons who beat them, because they were blindfolded. Witness Pero Plavsic, who said his blindfold was loose, recognised the defendant, Husein Begic, but as a person who asked those who beat them and harassed them to stop it.

Husein Begic, former commander of the military police platoon with the Fifth Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Safet Kovacevic, Muhamed Anadolac, Abid Ljubijankic and Sabahudin Hafuric, former military policemen, are on trial for the physical and mental abuse of 31 prisoner of war of the Army of Republika Srpska on their way from Cazin and Bihac to the Izacic border crossing.

The Prosecution screened video footage of what was happening in the bus. Witness Gojic asked that the showing be stopped because the memory of those events disturbed him.

Witness Plavsic also did not want to see the tape, while Knezevic identified himself in the video.

The indictment against five former members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina was filed by the State Prosecution, but on the Defence’s proposal, the State Court transferred the case to the Bihac Cantonal Court.

The main hearing will resume on November 1.