Court Expert Provides Findings on Cause of Death of Bileca Detainees

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.

At today’s hearing, court medical expert Hamza Zujo confirmed having performed an autopsy of Ferhat Avdic, a former Bileca detainee, whose remains were identified by his father. Zujo said the remains, which were exhumed from the city cemetery in Bileca, contained bones but no soft tissue.

Zujo said it was possible Avdic died a natural death or died due to injuries to his stomach or organs.

Prosecution witnesses testifying at the trial said that Avdic, a detainee, had been beaten to death while detained in Bileca.

Acting upon a warrant granted by the state prosecution, Avdic also examined medical documentation on the severity and type of injuries inflicted upon a former detainee named Sadik Mujacic. Avdic said Mujacic had fractures on his elbow and ribs.

Zujo said he based his findings and opinion on Mujacic’s injuries exclusively on medical documentation submitted to him from Spain. He said Mujacic received severe injuries and fractures, based on the presence of a bone callus.

He said Mujacic’s elbow injury could have been caused by the blunt edge of an object, while the rib injury could have been caused by being kicked by someone wearing shoes. Zujo said the injuries could have also been caused by Mujacic’s body hitting a hard surface.

The defense teams listed questions they would have posed to Sabir Bajramovic, a deceased witness whose statement was read at the last hearing. In a statement given prior to his death, Bajramovic said Miroslav Duka was one of the people who beat him during his detention in Bileca.

Vujovic and Duka’s defense teams said they would have asked Bajramovic about the arming of Bosniaks in Bileca.

The trial will continue on November 2.