Karajic Pleads Not Guilty

Suljo Karajic, a former member of the Fifth Corps with the Army of BiH, has pleaded not guilty to charges of involvement in crimes against civilians and prisoners of war from the Bihac area.

“I am not guilty to the counts in the indictment filed against me,” Karajic told the Court.

The Prosecution of BiH charges Karajic with having participated, from August 1994 to February 1995, in the murder and inhumane treatment of prisoners of war and civilians in the course of the armed conflict between the Fifth Corps of BiH Army and the National Defence of the Western Bosnia Autonomous Region (NDWBAR) conducted in the broad area of Bihac town.

Karajic is charged with having murdered one captured member of the NDWABR in August 1994 as well as with “unfounded imprisonment of civilians”, whom he killed and physically and mentally maltreated, due to a suspicion that they “supported the Western Bosnia autonomy”.

The Western Bosnia Autonomous Region was declared in September 1993, contrary to the Constitution of BiH. Following the declaration, the newly established NDWBAR forces confronted the Army of BiH. The conflict ended in the summer of 1995.

Acting on a warrant issued by the Prosecution of BiH, the State Investigation and Protection Agency arrested Karajic on October 17, 2007. The Court of BiH confirmed the indictment against him on January 4, 2008.