Indictments for Grbavica Crimes Filed

Veselin Vlahovic, known as Batko, a former member of paramilitary formations, is charged with murder, rape and physical and mental abuse of Bosniak and Croat civilians in Grbavica, Kovacici and Vraca, Sarajevo in 1992 and 1993.

The indictments against the two men, filed at the weekend, must be confirmed by the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The indictment against Vlahovic contains 56 counts, and was described by prosecution spokesman Boris Grubesic as one of the most comprehensive war crimes indictments ever filed in Bosnia.

“The indictment describes some of the most brutal war crimes committed against civilians during the past war, including torture, abuse, rape and murder committed in the presence of victims’ family members. The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina will propose a list of more than 100 witnesses to be examined over the course of the presentation of evidence in its effort to prove the indictee’s guilt,” the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina says in its announcement.

Vlahovic has been held in custody since his arrest in Spain in March last year. He was extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina five months later.

The State Prosecution also filed an indictment against Sasa Baricanin, considered to be an associate of Vlahovic. The indictment charges Baricanin with having come, accompanied by Vlahovic, to the Balvanovic family house in Grbavica in July 1992. He allegedly took three civilians out of the house and killed them at an unknown location.

In addition, Baricanin, who has been held in custody since February 2 this year, is charged with having forcibly taken a female person, held her in an apartment, raped her several times and enabled another person to rape her until the victim managed to escape.

D.Dž.