Verdict in Zlatko Husidic Trial Scheduled for Thursday

The verdict has been scheduled after the presentation of closing statements. In its closing statement, the cantonal prosecution called upon the court to sentence Husidic in accordance with the law. The defense said the defendant didn’t violate the rights of prisoners of war and called upon the court to hand down a verdict of release.

According to the charges, Husidic, the former commander of the First Battalion with the First Brigade of the National Defense of the Western Bosnia Autonomous Region, physically abused and mistreated two members of the Bosnian Army in March 1995.

Testifying in his own defense prior to the presentation of closing statements, Husidic said he saw a group of Bosnian Army captives in March 1995, but had no contact with them at all.

“We had a meeting on March 18, 1995. My deputy, Jasmin Libic, attended the meeting. We came to a forward command position in Trnovo together. We noticed a group of soldiers surrounding some captives. I saw Djani Cano, because he was my soldier while he was a member of the WBAR. I walked towards him. I noticed a small injury under his nose. We didn’t have any physical contact,” Husidic said.

Husidic said Libic called him 15 minutes later, adding he had no other contact with the captives afterwards.

“After the war I went to Croatia and then to America. I still live there. Upon my return from America, I used to see Djani Cano, but he never mentioned the capture. I found out about the criminal report as late as 2007,” Husidic said.

The trial began in mid-December 2015.