Witness Describes Prisoner Abuse at Bileca Detention Facilities

Miroslav Duka, Zeljko Ilic, and Goran Vujovic are on trial for war crimes committed in Bileca. Vujovic and Duka are charged with having enabled and organized the detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians in the public safety station building and student dormitory in Bileca, where detainees were murdered, tortured and abused. Ilic is charged with having participated in physical and mental abuse, as well as torture and murders.

According to the charges, at the time Vujovic was the chief of the public safety station in Bileca, Duka was a police commander and Ilic was a policeman.

Witness Sadik Mujacic said he was beaten several times during his detainment at the Bileca detention facilities from June 10 to August 17, 1992. He said he heard other detainees were beaten as well and one of them died as a result.

Mujacic said he was beaten when he was arrested at his house in Bileca on June 10, 1992. He said he was then taken to the police station and then to the military barracks, and ended up detained in a prison in the vicinity of the police station.

“One day, at around 3 or 4, a prisoner named Murguz came and said, ‘Zeljko Ilic sends his greetings. He said he would come to visit you tonight,’” Mujacic said.

Mujacic said that day he was beaten for an hour by Ilic, who was an active policeman at the time, and a man named Fimic.

“They beat me in the corridor. They broke my left arm, damaged my jaw and a nerve in my left eye. Zeljko Ilic took me out [of the cell]. They beat me in the corridor between the prison cells. Ilic kicked me with his boot and broke my arm,” Mujacic said. He said he had contusions on his eyes and head as a result.

Mujacic said he was also beaten at the police station, where five or six persons, including Duka and Zeljko, were present.

“Duka was drunk when he came. Rade Stolica appeared. Duka asked him [Stolica] why he was not beating me. He said, ‘I cannot beat this man.’ Duka tore his shirt off. They kicked me with their legs and [hit me with their] fists and all sorts of objects,” Mujacic said.

Mujacic said a man named Radovanovic hit him on the chest, causing him to faint. Mujacic was then presented with a statement he gave in 2009, in which he said that he fainted after having been hit in the chest by Zeljko Ilic. Mujacic confirmed that the person who hit him in the chest was in fact Ilic, not Radovanovic.

Mujacic told the court that at a certain point some of the detainees had been exchanged and only 38 remained. He said at around this time, Duka kicked his head one evening, severely damaging his skull.

“Duka broke my skull. Duka beat me up at the police station and in the prison corridor twice,” Mujacic said.

Mujacic told the court that a prisoner named Ferhar Avdic was killed, adding that he saw “a blue stain” on his spine.

“The man was choking. Sadik Camo pulled his tongue out. He died a few minutes later,” Mujacic said.

The trial will continue on April 14.