Nenad Przulj Trial for Sokolac Crimes Begins
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The state prosecution has charged Przulj, the former commander of guards and de facto commander of a prison in the Petar Kocic school building in the village of Cavarine village near Sokolac with the mistreatment of Bosniak civilians. In five counts, the indictment alleges that Przulj participated in the detention, assault and enforced disappearance of Bosniaks from Sokolac as well as other inhumane acts.
Przulj taught fine arts before the war and is now a librarian in Sokolac. According to prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic, Przulj was the commander of a detention facility in a school building from May 1992 to mid-1993.
According to the charges, Przulj participated in a widespread and systematic attack by police and military forces associated with Republika Srpska from May 1992 to March 1993.
In October 3, 1992, Przulj allegedly participated in the unlawful expulsion of 39 civilians from Sokolac to Cavarine, where they were detained in a school building in inhumane conditions. The civilian detainees included the disabled, women, children and mentally ill people from a hospital in Sokolac.
“In late 1992, he and guard Milan Markovic participated in the beating of detainee Osman Ibrahimovic. Milan Markovic and other fighters with the Bosnian Serb Army who returned from frontlines used to beat detainees from October 1992 to March 1993. Przulj, who was the person responsible for them, failed to do anything to protect them,” Muratbegovic said.
He has also been charged with taking out six detained civilians under the pretense of their release in March 1993, with the participation of a few other guards. Przulj then allegedly handed them over to members of the military police, who drove them in an unknown direction. The detainees have been missing without a trace since.
Prosecutor Muratbegovic said he would prove the allegations in the indictment by examining 30 witnesses, one court expert and reading statements given by deceased witnesses.
Rade Golic, Przulj’s defense attorney, did not present his introductory statement at this stage.
“Following the presentation of all pieces of evidence, we believe the only unbiased decision would be to find Nenad Przulj not guilty,” Golic said.
The trial will continue on March 30.
