Lalovic: Testifying under Pressure

Among the material evidence presented by State Prosecutor Munib Halilovic were reports on the examination of Lalovic, when he was considered a suspect, by a state prosecutor in May and June 2010.

The Prosecutor said that these pieces of evidence were very important for the trial, because the indictee spoke about crimes that happened in Kalinovik in 1992, which were directly mentioned in the indictment itself.

The material evidence also included documents which indicate that Lalovic was a member of the Public Safety Station in Kalinovik and he received a salary as a member of reserve police forces from May to August 1992.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Slavko Lalovic, known as Ustasa, with having enabled soldiers to enter the Miladin Radojevic school building, where he worked as a guard, and commit violence against civilians who were unlawfully detained in the building.

The indictment alleges that in August 1992, Lalovic intimidated and terrorised the civilians who were detained in the school building. In addition, the Prosecution alleges that at the end of August 1992, the indictee enabled two members of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, to enter the school building and rape one female detainee.

Ziko Krunic, Defence attorney for Lalovic, objected to the material evidence related to the indictee’s statement given to the Prosecution, claiming that such evidence was unlawful because his client gave the statement under pressure.

“Lalovic, who was considered a suspect at the time, was held in a prison in Tuzla, where he was mistreated and beaten by Bosniak prisoners every day. It is true that he never reported it to anyone, because he did not dare do so, but his statement was given to the Prosecutor under pressure. That is unlawful and I object to the introduction of these pieces of material evidence,” Krunic said.

Halilovic said that Lalovic personally asked if he could give a statement to the Prosecution, adding that nobody forced him to do it.

“We received a written letter in which Lalovic said he wanted to give a statement to the Prosecution on May 24, 2010. The attacks against him in prison happened five days later. This means that we cannot speak about mistreatment or any kind of pressure related to his statement,” the Prosecutor said in conclusion.

The trial is due to continue on March 31.

D.E.