Gasal et al: Court Approves Additional Attorneys

At a status conference in the case of indictees Nisvet Gasal, Musajb Kukavica, Enes Handzic and Senad Dautovic – all former members of the Army of BiH – the Court of BiH has approved the Defence’s motion for the engagement of additional attorneys in this case.

Explaining the proposal, Senad Kreho, Defence attorney of indictee Gasal, said that this was “a complex case with 81 Prosecution witnesses and between 1,500 and 1,600 pieces of material evidence”.

The Prosecution of BiH considers Gasal, Kukavica, Handzic and Dautovic responsible for crimes against Croatian civilians committed in Bugojno in 1993 and 1994 during the conflict between the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and the Army of BiH.

The indictment alleges that Gasal was manager of the detention camp established at the “Iskra” football stadium in Bugojno, while Kukavica was commander of security of the camp, where about 300 Croats were held in inhumane conditions.

The indictment further alleges that the detainees were deprived of food and medical assistance, lived in bad conditions and were forced to perform hard labour in Bugojno town and on the frontlines where, as a result of their use as human shields, some of them were killed and others were wounded.

The Prosecution charges Handzic and Dautovic with involvement in pillaging of property, maltreatment and detention of civilians, as well as in torture, murder and forced labour.

The indictment alleges that Handzic was assistant commander for security with the 307th Brigade of BiH Army and he became a member of the security service with the West Operational Group later on.
Dautovic was allegedly member of the Joint Staffs of the Army of BiH and, for a certain period of time, was commander of the Public Safety Centre in Bugojno.

Following the reading of the indictments, which had been joindered following a decision by the Trial Chamber, Prosecutor Slavica Terzic said that the Prosecution would prove that the four indictees “committed war crimes against civilians, war crimes against the wounded and the sick, and war crimes against prisoners of war”.

The Defence team did not want to present its introductory arguments, because they “did not know” that they were supposed to do so at this hearing.

The trial is due to continue on February 13.