Bosniak Former Political Leader’s War Crimes Trial Set for September

Ejup Ganic. Photo: BIRN BiH

It was announced at a status conference at the Bosnian state court on Wednesday that the high-profile trial of prominent wartime political leader Ejup Ganic and nine other defendants who are accused of involvement in war crimes in the high-profile Dobrovoljacka Street case will begin on September 21.

Ganic, who was a member of Bosnia’s presidency during the war, and his co-defendants are charged with planning and carrying out an attack on May 3, 1992 in Dobrovoljacka Street in Sarajevo on an undefended convoy of Yugoslav People’s Army soldiers and civilians employed with them.

The convoy was being escorted by UN peacekeeping troops as it retreated from Sarajevo at the time of the attack.

The other defendants are Zaim Backovic, Hamid Bahto, Hasan Efendic, Fikret Muslimovic, Jusuf Pusina, Bakir Alispahic, Enes Bezdrob, Ismet Dahic and Mahir Zisko.

Alispahic was the chief of police in Sarajevo at the time of the incident.

The prosecution says it has collected evidence about eight identified victims’ deaths, including civilians and medical personnel, and about a further 24 people who were wounded. It also says it has evidence of the capture of dozens of soldiers and civilians who were then tortured and abused.

The prosecution alleges that Ganic and the other defendants failed to prevent the killing and wounding of the soldiers and civilians. They are also accused of failing to punish the perpetrators and helping them after the crime.

On July 12, Ganic and the others pleaded not guilty to committing war crimes against prisoners of war and civilians.