Bosnian Croat Fighters Acquitted of War Crimes

The state court in Sarajevo on Monday acquitted both men of the arrests and detention of Bosniak men from the Stolac area, the relocation of Bosniak women and children, and the physical abuse and torture of civilians in Dretelj from early July to late August 1993.

“The court could not conclude that Veselko and Ivo Raguz were criminally responsible for those acts, because of contradictions in witness testimonies in some key sections,” said presiding judge Minka Kreho.

Veselko Raguz was tried as the commander of the Fourth Brigade ‘Knez Domogoj’ of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), but the judge said that it also could not be concluded that he had command responsibility for the crimes.

Ivo Raguz, who is not related to Veselko Raguz, was tried as a member of the same military unit.

Explaining the verdict, the judge said that many of the prosecution witnesses confirmed that they had been arrested, but could not specify who was in charge of the arresting officers.

“Witnesses claimed that they were detained by soldiers of the HVO. It did not matter to them which unit it was, but to establish Veselko Raguz’s liability, it was required to conclude that his unit was responsible,” said Kreho.

The crimes in the indictment, were perpetrated when there were various military units in the area of Stolac and Capljina, but it could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt that they were committed by the members of the Fourth Battalion, the court concluded.

“The prosecution case was limited to the fact that Veselko Raguz was the commander of the Fourth Battalion, and nothing more,” said Kreho.

The verdict can be appealed.