Defense Presents Material Evidence at Dzevad Salcin Trial

At today’s hearing of the Dzevad Salcin trial, Salcin’s defense presented a series of material evidence.

Salcin, a former member of the Bosnian Army’s Zulfikar Unit, has been charged with cutting off a part of prisoner Dragan Vukovic’s ear in front of the Mraziste Hotel on Mount Igman in March 1993. He’s also been charged with beating prisoners in the kitchen of the Mraziste Hotel during the first half of 1993.

Salcin’s defense attorney, Kerim Celik, filed a health certificate belonging to Salcin, dated September 18, 2009, as material evidence. When the certificate was released, Salcin was in the detention unit of the Correctional Institute of Sarajevo.

The prosecution objected to the relevance of the evidence, because the doctors who produced the health certificate hadn’t been questioned.

Celik also presented the death certificates of four deceased members of the Zulfikar Unit. Celik said they were mentioned by the witnesses.

“We also present a set of evidence certified by the Federal Ministry for Veterans about Salcin’s membership in the unit, a certificate specifying the dates from which he was a member of the Bosnian Army, as well as a confirmation of his injuries,” Celik said.

Celik also presented a Croatian Defense Council report on the events that took place in Konjic on May 4, 1993.

Trial chamber chair Jasmina Kosovic said an order for Salcin’s expert analysis had been sent, but the court had yet to receive the findings.

The trial continues on July 9.