Prosecutions and Defences Additional Evidence
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Prosecutor Remzija Smailagic presented seven pieces of additional evidence, two of which referred to crimes against Serbs from the Herzegovina area. Explaining one of the documents, the Prosecutor said that it proved the existence of a widespread and systematic attack and the existence of a plan for the deportation of Serbs.
The Defence teams objected, saying that one of the documents referred to a period not covered by the indictment and that it was not known who made the second one and when.
Presenting a document on deploying prisoners to outside work sites on July 29, 1992, the Prosecutor said that it confirmed the witnesses allegations that they were taken from Dretelj to other locations in order to perform forced labour.
The witnesses did not mention the locations listed in this document during their testimonies, said Drazen Zubak, Defence attorney of indictee Srecko Herceg.
As a piece of additional evidence, the Prosecution presented a police report from August 1992, proving that Herceg attended an exchange of prisoners in Dretelj. The Defence said that it had already submitted a series of documents, which showed Hercegs role and the date, when he left the Croatian Defence Forces, HOS, and joined the Croatian Defence Council, HVO.
Herceg, former HOS member, is on trial, along with Ivan Zelenika, Edib Buljubasic, Ivan Medic and Marina Grubisic-Fejzic, for having committed crimes against Serb prisoners in Dretelj in 1992.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, alleges that all of them participated in forcing detainees to perform labour and torture and that several people died due to consequences of the abuse.
Following the presentation of additional Prosecutions evidence, the Defence of Herceg, Buljubasic, Medic and Grubisic-Fejzic proposed that six additional witnesses be examined. After having considered the proposal, the Chamber accepted that the Defence of Herceg, Buljubasic and Grubisic-Fejzic examined one witness each as part of presentation of additional evidence.
At the beginning of the hearing the Defence of the third indictee included, in the case file, previously presented material evidence, while the Trial Chamber showed a video recording made during a visit to Dretelj.
As of this hearing Buljubasic is again represented by Defence attorney Todor Todorovic, who represented him at the beginning of the trial. During the course of the trial Buljubasic requested that he be released from duty. After that he was represented by Senija Poropat and Dzema Hasanagic.
The trial is due to continue on November 11.
