Bastah et al: Basic cannot attend trial

The beginning of the trial of Veljko Basic, Predrag Bastah and Goran Viskovic, charged with crimes against humanity in Vlasenica, was adjourned because the team of court experts concluded that the primary defendant Basic is not fit to stand trial. Experts will present their report and opinion at the hearing scheduled for July 3.

“According to the report and opinion of doctor Marija Kaucic-Komsic and doctor Senad Pesta, Veljko Basic is not fit to stand trial and attend trial permanently. The defendant is 83 and has serious health problems,” Zoran Bozic, chairman of the Trial Chamber, said as he read out a part of the report.

A neuropsychiatric examination was carried out on request of Veljko Basic’s Defence, which also proposed that this process be split in regard to their defendant.

Prosecution believes that Veljko Basic was responsible for the functioning of the Susica camp, in the municipality of Vlasenica, between May 31 and late September 1992, and that he had a control over the lives of more than 1,000 Bosniak civilians.

According to the indictment, Bastah and Viskovic, “with their actions and incitement, contributed to and strengthened the functioning of the camp system of abuse and persecution,” both in the Susica camp and other Vlasenica prisons.

Imprisoned civilians, the indictment specifies, were held in inhuman conditions, and were exposed to everyday beatings, torture and forced labour, which the defendant knew about, but did nothing to prevent, or punish those who performed it.