Kovacevic’s Trial Begins in October

At a pre-trial status conference the Trial Chamber said that Prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic submitted to the Court of BiH a proposal for presentation of evidence. The Prosecutor briefly explained that he planned to examine each witness for about an hour and that, so far, only one witness had been granted prohibiting measures.

Kovacevic, former member of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, is charged with having persecuted the Bosniak population by participating in detention, murders, rape and large-scale destruction of property. The indictment alleges that Kovacevic is charged with having killed a civilian in Dobrun village, Visegrad municipality, and raped two women.

The indictee is defending himself while at liberty, but he is banned from leaving Visegrad and obliged to report to the Police Station.

Petko Pavlovic, Defence attorney of indictee Kovacevic, said that the indictee received his retirement benefit in the Republic of Serbia, but it was not possible for him to go and collect it due to the prohibiting measures. The Trial Chamber said that no permit for crossing the border could be issued to the indictee.

“This is a specific situation. You cannot cross the border now, but we shall solve this situation, as this is your fundamental right,” said Trial Chamber Chairman Davorin Jukic.