Witnesses Need Medical Treatment
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Court expert Emira Ejubovic, who prepared her findings and opinion about the injured parties’ health condition as per an order by the Zenica Cantonal Prosecution, said that there were no medical documents concerning all of the injured parties, indicating that they had mental problems prior to the war.
“Their current health problems were not caused by the war itself, but by a concrete situation in which they were exposed to deadly fear and a feeling of hopelessness, because they were wounded and captured,” the court expert said.
She further said that witness Jasmin Malicbegovic suffered from mental disturbances, while Nermin Purak and Semir Derlic suffered from chronic post-traumatic disorder and that they needed long-lasting medical treatment. During their previous testimony for the Prosecution those witnesses said that the indictee mistreated detainees in the school building in Zepce.
Adzic, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, is charged with having participated in the mistreatment of prisoners of war, who were held in a school classroom in Zepce in July 1993.
Speaking about late Nazim Grabus’ condition, the court expert explained that, on the basis of medical documentation and interview with his wife, she determined that Grabus was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, which was manifested, among other things, through his fear from returning to Zepce.
The Defence of the indictee objected to the court expert’s findings, saying that it was generalized and that it did not provide an answer to a question about the consequences of the concrete event charged upon the indictee on the injured parties. However, the Defence did not deny the finding that the injured parties suffered from PTSD.
The Defence of Adzic proposed that a medical expert witness, who would speak about the indictee’s health condition, and two more witnesses be examined.
The trial is due to continue on July 9 with the presentation of the Prosecution’s material evidence and examination of the indictee as a witness.
