Izet Smajic Pleads Not Guilty

Izet Smajic, who is charged by the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a war crime committed in Tuzla in May 1992, has pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment.

Smajic is charged, as a former member of the “Mosnik” Independent Squad with the reserve police forces, with approaching Radovan Krstic after having wounded him, and putting “the barrel of a revolver into his mouth” and then shooting him “with the aim of depriving him of his life”. This incident happened in Tuzla on May 15, 1992, as the JNA convoy was leaving “Husinska buna” military barracks.

The indictment alleges that, after having shot at the soldier, Smajic left the location and went in an unknown direction, while Krstic, who was severely wounded, was transferred to “Dr Mustafa Mujbegovic” hospital in Tuzla, where his life was saved.

This is the first indictment for participation in a crime committed in Brcanska Malta, which has been confirmed before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After the confirmation of the indictment, the Prosecution proposed that the case be referred to “a competent regional court”, as it is not “a complex or highly sensitive case”, also claiming that the actions charged upon the indictee, “did not have consequences like most other cases tried before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. A decision concerning this proposal has not yet been made public.

Smajic is currently at liberty.