Analysis – Vitomir Rackovic: Trial Involving Arrest, Imprisonment and Rape of Civilians Nearing End

Over the course of the trial, the state prosecution presented 32 witness and one expert witness, and attempted to demonstrate that Rackovic participated in the persecution of the civilian population, which included acts of sexual abuse, unlawful arrest, imprisonment, and the destruction of property from May to August 1992.Rackovic’s defense attorney argued that Rackovic didn’t participate in the crimes described in the indictment, as he was either on the frontline or was receiving medical treatment at the time. 28 witnesses testified in Rackovic’s favour.In its closing arguments, the prosecution said it had demonstrated Rackovic’s guilt on all counts. Rackovic’s defense, on the other hand, called for an acquittal, and said the prosecution had “failed to prove any punishable act for which Rackovic has been accused.”During the trial, the prosecution had argued that Rackovic participated in the unlawful arrest of civilians from villages in Visegrad from May to June 1992.Witnesses for the prosecution said a group of soldiers, including Vitomir Rackovic, went to the village of Karbernik and abducted several civilians in June 1992. Himzija Tvrtkovic said Rackovic, who was her neighbour at the time, ordered her husband and son to get onto a truck.“He said, ‘climb up, Husein and Hamed.’ I asked him why he was taking them away from me and walked behind him, crying. He yelled, ‘I’ll kill you,’” Tvrtkovic said.Tvrtkovic’s son Haris confirmed that Rackovic ordered his father, brother and uncle to get onto a truck. He said his uncle Rasid, who also testified at the trial, managed to escape.“My brother and cousin climbed into the truck, and I asked Vito [Vitomir Rackovic], who was in command of the vehicle, to let me go and get my sweater, and I ran away,” Rasid Tvrtkovic said. Members of the Tvrtkovic family said this was the last time they saw members of their family who were taken away by Rackovic.“That hurts me the most. So many graves, but nothing. He said he’d kill them, and I want him to tell me where their bones are,” Himzija Tvrtkovic said.Enforced Disappearances in Kabernik Halida Alic confirmed that people who were taken away from Kabernik in the summer of 1992 were never found. She said she saw Rackovic in a truck which was headed towards Lijeske.Prosecution witnesses also testified about the burning of houses in Kabernik. Protected witness RV-12, who hid in the attic of a house during the attack, said he watched approximately 100 Serb soldiers approach his village. He said he saw Rackovic among them.“They started shooting at the roofs and burning the houses. I could only recognize Vitomir Rackovic,” he said.Bosko Trifkovic, a witness for the defense and a former soldier, said his unit conducted a search of villages around Visegrad. He said that when they passed through Kabernik, he didn’t see Rackovic. Half of the defense witnesses said they were with Rackovic in Zaglavak in mid-1992 and stayed there for approximately 40 days.“During that period, we never left the frontline,” said witness and former soldier Miroslav Mirkovic.“The Higher Command deployed us in order to keep the elevation. None of us could go home from there. I know the commander asked for a replacement, but it wasn’t approved,” Milan Zecevic said.Radomir Zivkovic said that during his stay on the frontline he had conversations with Rackovic several times. He said he knew Rackovic from before the war and described him as a good man. The majority of the defense witnesses who described their time in Zaglavak said they were there from the beginning of June until July 12, 1992.“In mid-July we went back home, precisely on July 12, on the Serbian feast of Saint Peter’s Day. I remember [the date of] our return because of the feast,” Milan Zecevic said.Incident of Rape in CrncaThe prosecution also attempted to demonstrate that Rackovic raped a protected witness known as RV-5 in July 1992. Protected witness RV-1 said that she, along with other women and children, were shel