Witnesses Did not See Mistreatment of Prisoners

Witness Atif Hadzic told the Court that, during the war he was deployed to Mount Igman, where he was tasked with guarding a building in which Serb detainees were held, but he did not see anybody hit those prisoners.

“As far as I and my section are concerned, I can confirm that none of us ever even told a bad word to those men,” the witness said, adding that, while he guarded the building, nobody entered it in order to mistreat the prisoners. Also, he said that he did not notice any signs of mistreatment on their bodies.

When asked by Prosecutor Vladimir Simovic if he knew what happened to the prisoner, known as “Vojvoda”, Hadzic said that he did not see anybody beating him. The Prosecutor reminded the witness that, in a previous statement he said that he heard that somebody cut Vojvoda’s ear off. Hadzic responded by saying that he might have heard something about it, but people “say all sorts of things”.

“I did not hear that Vojvoda’s ear was cut off, but that somebody tried to do it. Vojvoda enjoyed more freedom of movement at that place than anybody else,” the witness explained.

Hadzic testified at the trial of Nedzad Hodzic and Dzevad Salcin, former members of “Zulfikar” Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are charged with having tortured, beaten and sexually abused prisoners, cut parts of their bodies, intimidated them and participated in other inhumane acts on Mount Igman.

Witness Vehbija Nezirevic, former member of the “Zulfikar” Squad, said that he was tasked with guarding prisoners on Igman in 1993, adding that nobody mistreated the prisoners in his presence.

When asked by the Prosecutor if he knew whether any other members of his Squad mistreated the prisoners, the witness said that he did not hear about it and that he did not notice signs of abuse on the prisoners.

“During my shifts nobody entered the room, where the prisoners were held. I do not believe that anybody could enter it anyway,” he said.

Prosecutor Simovic asked the witness if he knew whether anybody endangered a prisoner known as Vojvoda. Nezirevic said that he did not know and that he had not heard about it.

Indictee Salcin addressed the Trial Chamber, saying that the indictment against him was fabricated. Nedzla Sehic, Defence attorney of indictee Hodzic, asked the Court to draw the media’s attention to the fact that they should report objectively about this trial.

The trial is due to continue on February 27.