Bosnian Serb Fighters Acquitted of Sarajevo Crimes

The cantonal court in Sarajevo on Thursday ruled that Bogdanovic and Sladoje, as members of Bosnian Serb police and military forces in Sarajevo, were not guilty of detaining and injuring civilians from the Grbavica area from mid-June 1992 to the end of the year.

The two ex-fighters were acquitted of taking civilians Bajro and Suad Besic from their home to a nearby garage where they beat them up, then took them to the frontline at the Jewish cemetery in the hills above Grbavica, where Suad Besic was killed in the crossfire.

“After deliberating, the Court decided that the defendants’ guilt was not proven. We looked at the evidence and the testimonies of witnesses and found them to be contradictory,” said presiding judge Jasenko Ruzic.

The judge explained that although relatives of the victims recognised the defendants, defence witnesses gave Bogdanovic and Sladoje alibis, so doubts were raised which led to the not-guilty verdict.

Bogdanovic and Sladoje were also cleared of charges that they abused a civilian called Rajko Simic in his home because he married a Bosniak.

The verdict can be appealed.