Bosnian Army Ex-Commander Proclaims Innocence, Urges Acquittal
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Sejdic, the former commander of the First Visegrad Brigade of the Bosnian Army, said he was on trial for acts he did not commit himself, and insisted that he did not know who was responsible.
“I never ordered, committed or carried out what I have been charged with. But I did fight with honour,” Sejdic said.
He added that he sympathised with all victims and expected a fair verdict, and had faith in justice and truth.
The indictment alleges that Sejdic ordered and participated in the unlawful detention, resettlement and torture of several dozen Serb civilians and prisoners of war, members of the Bosnian Serb Army.
But in her closing statement, his lawyer Jesenka Residovic said it was apparent from the evidence that the defendant was not the one who ordered captured Bosnian Serb Army soldiers to demine the Gradina tunnel in eastern Bosnia with their bare hands. According to the indictment, several of the prisoners were also beaten by soldiers under Sejdic’s control.
Residovic said that Sejdic had already left for another location at the time when the crime was committed, adding that witnesses could not say with certainty who issued the order to demine the tunnel.
“This was confirmed by both subjective and material evidence. Later on, the defendant returned to the tunnel, which had been demined,” Residovic said.
Residovic also recalled witnesses’ testimonies saying that the defendant treated them in a humane manner when he approached them and asked if they were injured.
The defence further noted that Zaim Imamovic, deputy commander of the Eastern Bosnia Operation Group and commander of the First Drina Brigade, was also present during military operations in Strmica and Strgacina in January 1993, when the Serb prisoners of war were captured.
Residovic said that Imamovic’s rank was superior to that of Sejdic, and that other brigades, as well as the First Visegrad Brigade, also participated in the operations.
“The Eastern Bosnia Operations Group Command was the one that planned, approved and conducted the operations in Strmica and Strgacina,” Residovic said, insisting that witnesses confused Imamovic with Sejdic.
The prosecution has already called for a conviction in its closing statement.
The verdict will be handed down on July 16.
