Statements of Deceased Witness Describe Abuse in Bileca Detention Facilities

Goran Vujovic, Miroslav Duka and Zeljko Ilic are on trial for war crimes in Bileca. Vujovic and Duka have been charged with enabling and organizing the detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians in the public safety station and student dormitory in Bileca, where detainees were abused, tortured and killed. Ilic has been charged with participating in acts of physical and mental abuse, torture, and murder.

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

Nedjeljko Kuljic was also accused for crimes committed in Bileca, but has since died.

Statements given by former prisoner Sabir Bajramovic to the State Investigation and Protection Agency in July 2008 and the state prosecution in June 2009 were read aloud at today’s hearing. Bajramovic said he was beaten and electrified while he was held in detention in Bileca, and that other prisoners were beaten and tortured as well.

Bajramovic said he was arrested on July 11, 1992, and taken to the public safety station in Bileca. He said he wasn’t beaten on his first night, and that the abuse began a day later.

Bajramovic said he was taken to a room where there were about a dozen police officers, including Zeljko Ilic and Miroslav Duka. He said he was hit by Miroslav Duka, after which he lost consciousness.

In his statement, Bajramovic said he was then transferred to the student dormitory in Bileca, where he was also beaten. According to Bajramovic, the prisoners in the dormitory were beaten by the same police officers in the public safety station.

“Without Duka’s orders, none of the reservists and the regular police were allowed to do anything,” Bajramovic said.

Bajramovic described an attack on the student dormitory which was allegedly organized by Duka. During the attack, smoke bombs were thrown into the building and the prisoners were shot at.

“The attack on the student dormitory was organized Miroslav Duka, because I recognized him. I personally saw him fire a pistol in the direction of the window Edin Bajramovic and I were standing at,” Bajramovic said in his statement to the State Investigation and Protection Agency.

Bajramovic said he was also electrified, and that Nedjo Kuljic put wires on his ears. “For a certain period of time, one felt like they were having a stroke,” Bajramovic said.

Bajramovic said a prisoner named Ferhat Avdic, nicknamed Beli, died from his injuries after being beaten. In his statement, Bajramovic said his brother and another prisoner carried Avdic away from the room he died in. Bajramovic asked his brother who they saw before Avdic’s death, and said his brother told him he had seen Duka and Jeftovic.

The next hearing has been scheduled for October 19. At the next hearing, the defense team will state the questions they would have asked the witness if he were still alive.