Srebrenica Rape Verdict on January 15

The district prosecution of Bijeljina charged Radosav Milovanovic, a former member of the Bosnian Serb Army, with raping a woman in Sase in May 1992. He allegedly threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the rape.

At today’s hearing, the district prosecution called for a guilty verdict in the case, while the defense called for an acquittal.

In its closing statement, the prosecution said armed conflict was ongoing in the Srebrenica area in May 1992. According to international conventions, the prosecution claimed, civilians in the area couldn’t live normally.

The prosecution said Milovanovic was a member of the Bosnian Serb Army when the alleged rape occurred, and used his authority to rape the injured party, a Bosniak woman. During the rape, he threatened her with a knife.

During the trial, the injured party gave a detailed description of the rape and identified Milovanovic in the courtroom. According to the prosecution, she hadn’t seen him for years and was upset by his presence in the courtroom.

According to the prosecution, the injured party suffered physical pain as well as mental anguish, while the defendant was aware of the crime he had committed.

The defense claims there was no armed conflict in the Srebrenica area in May 1992. The defense said that on April 8, 1992, a state of danger was announced, but not a state of war. The defense said official documents indicated that a state of war was announced on June 14, 1992 and was published in an official gazette on May 20, 1992.

The defense said evidence indicated that the Bosnian Serb Army was formed on May 12, 1992 and was formally established as per official documents on June 1, 1992. According to the indictment, the rape occurred on May 16, 1992.

The defense said the injured party and her daughter had referenced different dates in their testimony and gave differing responses regarding their ethnic identity. The defense disputed testimony given by the injured party, and said that although she had described the dress and slippers she had on during her rape, she didn’t describe an object she had with her.

Milovanovic addressed the trial chamber at today’s hearing. He said he was innocent and had three daughters at the time of the alleged rape.