Convicted Syria Fighter Asks for Trial Costs Exemption

Emir Alisic. Photo: Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hilmo Vucinic, chairman of the state court’s appeals chamber, said that Alisic’s defence has filed an appeal against the part of the verdict that orders him to pay the costs of the criminal proceedings.

Alisic’s defence lawyer Belma Balijagic-Dzuho said that the appeal points out that Alisic has no income, property or real estate which he could use to pay the costs.

But state prosecutor Biljana Golijanin said that under the plea agreement, the defendant was obliged to cover the costs.

“This concerns 250 Bosnian marks [about 128 euros] for a neuro-psychiatric expert evaluation,” Golijanin said.

In her written response to the appeal, Golijanin called on the court to reject it as unfounded.

After accepting the plea agreement, the state court sentenced Alisic on January 5 this year to two-and-a-half years in prison for organising a terrorist group.

Alisic admitted he was guilty of going to Syria and joining paramilitary units that operated within the structures of the so-called Islamic State, which the UN Security Council has declared a terrorist organisation.

Judge Vucinic said that the time Alisic has spent in custody, from his extradition to Bosnia alongside six others on December 19, 2019 onwards, has been counted towards his sentence.