Monday, 7 july 2025.
Prijavite se na sedmični newsletter Detektora
Newsletter
Novinari Detektora svake sedmice pišu newslettere o protekloj i sedmici koja nas očekuje. Donose detalje iz redakcije, iskrene reakcije na priče i kontekst o događajima koji oblikuju našu stvarnost.

This post is also available in: Bosnian

Prosecutor Mirza Hukeljic on Wednesday said it was proven that Kovacevic was guilty of participating in the killings of nine Serbian civilians in the village of Sijekovac on March 26 in 1992, burning and looting houses in the village and arresting and taking civilians to perform hard labour in August 1992.

Hukeljic said that all the prosecution witnesses had recalled that armed conflict in the Bosanski Brod area started on March 3, 1992, with the shelling of the town, which a military expert, Ramiz Dugalic, confirmed.

“Many witnesses recalled that they saw the defendant in uniform. Kovacevic was a former fighter with the First Bosanski Brod Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, later known as the 101st Bosanski Brod Brigade of the HVO, so there are no doubts that he knew about the armed conflict,” said Hukeljic.

Hukeljic said the killings of the Serbian civilians in Sijekovac were seen by witnesses Milja Zecevic and Sasa Milosevic, who said they saw Kovacevic firing a gun.

“Many witnesses confirmed that members of the intervention squad – Kovacevc among them – were setting houses on fire after the killings, which caused great material loss,” the prosecution added.

According to Hukeljic, the prosecution had presented enough evidence to establish Kovacevic’s guilt, and that civilians were forced to undertake hard labour, digging the tranches at the front lines, which was life threatening.

The prosecutor said there were no mitigating circumstances, and he pointed out his behaviour during the trial as an aggravating factor.

“I ask the Council to analyze the defendant’s behaviour towards the witnesses. On several occasions, he was insulting witnesses, who were family members of the killed persons,” the prosecutor said.

Kovacevic’s defence will present its closing arguments on April 23.

Najčitanije
Saznajte više
Bosnia Jails Man for Planning Terror Attack on Mosque
Bosnia's state court has confirmed the verdict sentencing Mirza Kapic to four-and-a-half years in prison for planning a terrorist attack on a mosque in the city of Zenica in 2023.
BIRN Bosnia Signs Collaboration Deal with University in Sarajevo
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN BiH, has signed a deal with the International University of Sarajevo with the aim of mutually enhancing activities and information exchange.
Exhibition of Srebrenica Genocide Testimonies Opens at UN Headquarters
Bosnian Court Delivers First Genocide Denial Conviction