Horror in School Building in Bratunac

As the trial for crimes in Bratunac continues, three protected Prosecution witnesses recall having been detained in “Vuk Karadzic” school building in May 1992 and witnessed murders and beating of detainees.

Witness S-9 confirmed that he was taken from his house in Hranca village to the stadium in Bratunac on May 10, 1992. After that they took him and his brother to “Vuk Karadzic” school building. 

As he said, after having been brought to the school building, he was beaten up, while a Milan Trsic took his brother away. His brother was then killed.

The witness said that, when he entered the school gym, he saw more than 500 other people, nine of whom suffocated during the first night. 

“People were taken out, beaten and murdered all the time. I saw all sorts of things, mostly blood and torture, during those four days,” the witness explained, adding that guards named Bane and Makedonac used to beat detainees more than other guards.

S-9 said that he spent four days in the gym, adding that Savo Babic came on the last day. As he said, Babic announced to the detainees that they would be exchanged.

“That was the only time I saw him. His words sounded like a nice song to us, because it seemed impossible to us that we would be released from the school,” the witness said, adding that other detainees told him that Babic came to the school building with “Zekic’s father” as well, but he did not personally see him.

Witness S-4, who was detained in the school building in Bratunac with S-9, testified at this hearing too. 

He confirmed that he remembered blood and beating of people during his detention, adding that he also remembered a murder case. This witness too said that he saw Babic only once, when he came to tell the detainees that they would be taken to their territory.

“I think that Babic was Chief of Police, but I do not know exactly what his function was. While he was present in the school building, they did not beat us,” S-4 explained.

According to the charges, Babic, former Commander of military police, “had an absolute power over the lives of detainees and conditions in the school building”. He is charged with the responsibility for detention and abuse of non-Serb civilians in “Vuk Karadzic” school building in Bratunac committed in May 1992.  

Witness S-7, who was held in the school building from May 10 to 14, 1992, said that he did not see Savo Babic during his detention in the school building and that he did not remember who informed the detainees about the exchange. 

“I do not remember who it was. I did not dare raise my head. Following the horrors I witnessed at that place, I did not even want to see anybody. I heard that it was Savo Babic, but I did not know him personally, so I cannot say whether it was him,” S-7 said.

The Trial Chamber warned the Prosecution again that it would not examine witnesses about those circumstances anymore, because “there is nothing new that has not already been said”. 

The trial is due to continue on October 28.