Witness at Vrucinic Trial Describes Abuse of Prisoners in Sanski Most
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A state prosecution witness said he was beaten at several locations by police forces at the trial of Mirko Vrucinic, who’s been charged with war crimes in the Sanski Most and Prijedor area.
Vrucinic has been charged with the persecution of the Bosniak and Croat civilian population, which included acts of murder, forcible resettlement, unlawful detention and enforced disappearances.
State prosecution witness Nihad Kljucanin was examined by the state prosecution on July 1. He was cross-examined today by the defense.
Kljucanin told the defense that he was arrested by a group of men led by police officer Gojko Macura on June 1, 1992.
Kljucanin said several people, including police officers, beat him.
“I was beaten at several locations several times,” Kljucanin said.
At the last hearing, Kljucanin said he was transferred from police premises to the Hasan Kikic school building and then to the Betonirka factory, where he was beaten several times. He was finally transferred to a detention camp in Manjaca.
Kljucanin, who used to be a municipal alderman and a member of the executive board in Sanski Most, said the ethnic persecution of non-Serbs was carried out by the crisis committee in Sanski Most.
Kljucanin said that members of the army and police, including Vrucinic, were members of the crisis committee.
When asked by the defense whether he had ever had any contacts with Mirko Vrucinic, Kljucanin said he didn’t.
He confirmed that detainees were suffocated while being transported to Manjaca.
“According to what eyewitnesses said, there was a lack of water, a lack of air…,” Kljucanin said.
Vrucinic asked Kljucanin if there was a defect in the truck that was transporting them. Kljucanin said there wasn’t, and also said he didn’t know who was in charge of organizing the transportation.
The trial will continue on August 21.
