Trial Opens for Zoran Neskovic et al for Crimes in Rogatica

Rogatica. Photo: N1

Zoran Neskovic, Panto Pantovic, Slavisa Djeric, Nenad Ujic and Pero Despet are charged on 46 counts with inhumane treatment, murder and sexual abuse of civilians in Rasadnik detention facility in Rogatica, eastern Bosnia, between the end of July and December 22, 1995.

Neskovic is charged in his capacity as commander of the detention facility and the other defendants as guards in Rasadnik, where more than 40 Bosniak men from the areas of Rogatica, Zepa and Srebrenica were held. Most of the detainees were aged around 60, but there were also two minors and more than ten persons in need of medical assistance.

Prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic, presenting his introductory statement, said witnesses would describe being taken off a convoy moving from Zepa to Tuzla via Kladanj.

“All the defendants were involved in the functioning of the detention facility in Rasadnik. You will see that Neskovic was the commander and that he had an effective control over the guards,” the prosecutor said.

He also said he planned to invite more than 40 witnesses and two experts and introduce material evidence. As he said, a certain number of witnesses had unfortunately died, but their statements given during the investigation would be included in the case file.

The indictment says Neskovic unlawfully held the civilians in a shack within the Rasadnik farm, while six counts charge him with having personally treated detainees in an inhumane manner by hitting them and having been present while others abused them.

The indictment says that, on August 15, 195, all the defendants participated in an inhumane treatment of Mehmed Hajric, religious figure and president of the War Presidency in the Bosniak enclave of Zepa, whom they hit and then took out to a spring and shot dead.

Pantovic has been charged on one count and Djeric and Ujic on 14 counts each with inhumane treatment of detainees between August and October 1995, with Djeric and Ujic also being accused on nine more counts as co-perpetrators.

The charges include beating detainees with fists and various objects, wrapping hoses around their necks, jumping on their back, forcing them to lick the floor and boots and eat pork – forbidden to Muslims – and cigarette packs, making them jump on one leg, jump into cold rivers, as well as hit each other.

The indictment alleges that besides the defendants, Dragan Nikolic, against whom the proceeding was separated, and Predrag Nikolic, who has died, also took part in those actions.

Prosecutor Murtbegovic asked to be allowed to read one of the counts without the presence of public, even though, as defence lawyer Nina Kisic said, the injured parties from that count had not been granted identity protection measures.

Judge Zoran Bozic told the prosecutor to read the count citing only the defendants’ initials, and after the prosecutor did that, the judge said the count should not be published as a precaution.

Presenting its introductory statement, Neskovic’s defence listed matters under dispute to which it would point during the evidence presentation, such as the claim that Neskovic had the role of a superior officer.

“We will [also] dispute the injured parties’ status. They were not civilians,” Kisic said.

She added that certain counts were mutually contradictory and, “in some cases, were contrary to the law of physics”, as well as that some allegations didn’t fulfil the elements of a war crime.

The defence for the other defendants didn’t want to present their introductory statements at this stage, briefly saying that they agreed with the allegations about contradictory statements in the indictment and the disputable status of the injured parties.

The indictment charges Neskovic and others with crimes against the civilian population according to the Criminal Code of the former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.

The first witnesses will be heard on September 5.