Bosnian Army Soldier Convicted of Jablanica Prsioner Abuses
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The cantonal court in Mostar on Tuesday convicted Tahirovic, a former member of the Zulfikar detachment of the Bosnian Army, of crimes against civilians and prisoners of war detained in the museum and the Rogica Kuce neighbourhood of the central Bosnian town of Jablanica.
Presiding judge Slavko Pavlovic said that the court accepted as mitigating circumstances the fact that Tahirovic was only 23 at the time he committed the crime, that he was not aware of the consequences and that he saved one prisoner’s life.
As aggravating circumstances, Pavlovic said that Tahirovic abused more than one person.
“When it is all put together, we found that the sentence of five years in prison fits the crime,” said Pavlovic.
The court did not order Tahirovic into custody immediately but said that he must report periodically to police and enlist in a rehabilitation facility for substance abuse.
It also said that Tahirovic must pay 2,500 euros to victim Vinko Dubas, who said during his testimony that the defendant took him from detention to his apartment in Jablanica and ordered his sister give him 2,500 euros.
The verdict can be appealed.
