Bosnian Serb Ex-Soldiers Acquitted of Assaulting Civilians
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The Bosnian state court. Photo:The Bosnian state court.
The Bosnian state court on Thursday acquitted Bratislav Bilbija and Djuro Adamovic of the inhumane treatment of civilians in the hamlet of Bukvik near Prijedor in August 1992.
Bilbija was accused of having kicked and hit one man with his fists and a rifle butt in mid-August 1992 and Adamovic of having beaten up another man.
The verdict came after a retrial. The former soldiers were initially convicted of inhumane treatment but acquitted of murder, torture and forced disappearances.
The state court’s appeals chamber then quashed part of the first-instance verdict that convicted them of mistreating the civilians and ordered a retrial.
“The appeals chamber has been unable to determine beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants committed the crimes with which they are charged, partially due to inconsistency in witnesses’ statements,” presiding judge Stanisa Gluhajic explained at the time.
The appeals chamber however upheld the part of the first-instance verdict that acquitted them of murder, torture and forced disappearances.
The verdict is now final and cannot be appealed.
