Klickovic et al: Establishment of Abuse System
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The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina considers Gojko Klickovic, Mladen Drljaca and Jovan Ostojic responsible for persecution, murder, detention, torture and other crimes committed against the non-Serb population in Bosanska Krupa in 1992.
“Klickovic and Drljaca contributed, as members of the wartime Presidency, to the establishment of an unfair system in the ‘Petar Kocic’ school building that enabled the detention, beating, abuse and murder of the non-Serb population. (…) It was Ostojic’s duty to prevent the crimes or punish the perpetrators,” Prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic said.
The State Prosecution alleges that Klickovic was President of the wartime Presidency and Commander of the Crisis Committee in the Serbian municipality of Bosanska Krupa, Drljaca was President of the Temporary Court Martial Chamber and Commission for the Exchange of Prisoners, as well as member of the wartime Presidency and Crisis Committee, and Ostojic was Commander of the 11th Krupa Light Infantry Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, in 1992.
The Prosecution considers that, following an attack on Krupa conducted on April 21, 1992, non-Serbs were detained in the “Dusan Kosutic” school building in Jasenica and the “Petar Kocic” school building in Krupa, where they were tortured, beaten up, murdered, raped and forced to perform hard labour.
“Klickovic and Drljaca were the most senior public officials in the town. They were informed and knew about the unlawful arrests and detention of the non-Serb population,” the Prosecutor said.
Muratbegovic said that Muslims were forced to leave Bosanska Krupa in May 1992, adding this was part of a broad and systematic attack campaign. He said that “Klickovic did not undertake any action” to facilitate the return of those forced to leave.
The Prosecution said the Trial Chamber should not trust the Defence witnesses or expert witnesses, because many of them testified “with the aim of helping the indictees and enabling them to avoid responsibility”.
Muratbegovic considers that the Trial Chamber should consider the facts that the indictees performed senior functions, did not express regrets and did not help the detainees as aggravating circumstances, while the fact that they have not been previously convicted and their family status should be considered as mitigating circumstances.
The Defence for indictee Klickovic is due to begin presenting its closing arguments on October 12.
