Stolac War Crimes Suspects Arrested
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Mile Pazin, Mirko Raguz (also known as Kopiljan), Ivica Markovic and Vide Kresic, former members of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), were arrested on suspicion of participating in the capture of Bosniak civilians from villages in the Stolac area at the beginning of July 1993. They allegedly forced civilians to leave their houses, tortured them and subjected them to inhumane treatment.
“Suspects Mile Pazin and Mirko Raguz, former members of the Croatian Defense Council and civil protection forces, managed detention camps organized by the HVO in the villages of Crnici and Pjesivac in the municipality of Stolac in July 1993. About 1,500 civilians, who were deprived of food and water, were unlawfully detained in them,” the Bosnian state prosecution said in a public statement.
The state prosecution also alleges that Mirko Raguz and Mile Pazin ordered the expulsion of Pjesivac detainees from the municipality of Stolac, forcing them to travel through combat lines. Four detainees were killed as a result.
Following an examination of the suspects, the state prosecution will decide whether to propose that they abide by custody measures or prohibitive measures.
SIPA investigators searched buildings used by the suspects with the aim of finding evidence for the investigation.
