Witness Statement Describing Murder of Kozarac Civilians Read at Vlasenko and Koncar Trial

Rade Vlasenko, Mitar Vlasenko and Drago Koncar, all former members of the Bosnian Serb Army, have been charged with participating in the persecution of the non-Serb civilian population from the Prijedor area from May 24 to mid-August 1992. The indictment alleges the defendants participated in acts of murder and enforced disappearances, including the murder of eight civilians in Kozarac.

A statement given by Draguna Hodzic to the state prosecution was read at today’s hearing. In her statement, Hodzic said Serb forces attacked Kozarac in late May 1992 and that she fled and hid in the woods.

“They found me by the river. I went out and said, ‘Don’t shoot!’ I recognized my neighbour Rade Vlasenko among the soldiers. They told me to join a line of people going to Trnopolje. I did as they told me,” Hodzic’s statement read.

Hodzic said she was released from Trnopolje seven days later and went to her sister’s home in the village of Matici.

“My deceased husband Avdo came and told me he had seen eight dead people from our village in front of a house. He was by a fence and found those dead people. I don’t know any details,” Hodzic said in her statement.

Prior to the reading of Hodzic’s statement, court medical expert Milorad Grujicic said Hodzic was incapable of testifying in person. Grujicic Hodzic, who is 91 years old, suffers from a severe heart disease.

The trial will continue on January 12, 2016, when first defense witnesses will testify.