Former Prisoners Describe Abuse Inflicted by Mirsad Tahirovic in Jablanica
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Mirsad Tahirovic, a former member of the Zulfikar Squad of the Bosnian Army, has been charged by the cantonal prosecution of Mostar with participating in acts of torture, humiliation and the abuse of detained Croat civilians and prisoners in Jablanica.
Witness and former prisoner Marinko Ljoljo said Tahirovic, also nicknamed Deba, forced him and other prisoners to bow in front of the Prenj restaurant, where they would usually eat.
“We had to kneel and Deba ordered us to perform some dance moves. When the dancing stopped, the beatings started. They kicked us. Then Deba kicked Jure Juric in the face, and he collapsed. Then I received one strong blow,” Ljoljo said.
Ljoljo said Tahirovic was regularly present when the detainees were assaulted. He said on one occasion prisoners were lined up as a human shield while they were kicked and beaten. Ljoljo said Tahirovic then ordered the prisoners to kneel as if they were preparing for a race.
“They divided us into two groups. The group that included Vinko Soldo, Ivan Pavlovic, Kamilo Duvacic and others suffered the most because they mostly hit them on the head. The men fell down, they were covered with blood. We thought that this was the end, but they forced us to eat hot food in 15 seconds,” Ljoljo said.
Ljoljo said he learned Tahirovic’s nickname from the other prisoners. Ljoljo said at the time Tahirovic was approximately 20 years old, had long dark hair and a bulky build. Ljoljo then identified Tahirovic in the courtroom.
Witness and former prisoner Ivan Kostic said Tahirovic never beat him, although other detainees were beaten by him every day.
Witness and former prisoner Marinko Dreznjak said he saw Tahirovic in Donja Jablanica, with another young man who shot him in front of a barn.
“He didn’t shoot me since the gun was empty. When I returned to the barn, Mirko Zelenika told me that the name of the soldier who was with the man was Deba,” Dreznjak said.
According to Dreznjak, he saw Tahirovic again when a shell fell. He said a Bosnian Army cook was wounded during that attack.
“We were coming back from lunch. I was the last one in the prisoner line-up. Deba and another person stopped me. He punched and kicked me all over my body. My jaw and ribs were injured,” Dreznjak. Dreznjak identified Tahirovic as the person who beat him.
The trial will continue on October 19.
