Macic: Detainees Treated in Brutal Way

Marko Draganic, who was brought to Celebici detention camp together with 54 other men from Brdjani village, Konjic municipality, on June 15, 1992, told the Court that, following a visit by the Red Cross in August 1992, Hazim Delic and Esad Landzo, who were accompanied by other guards, entered the detention camp hangar and “beat the detainees up for nearly an hour”.
 
“They ordered us to keep our heads down and put our hands behind our heads. Three groups of guards came in and started beating us. When they had finished, we spoke to each other about who those guards were. Three detainees, whom I know, told me that Macic was among the guards, who had beaten them,” Draganic said.
 
Draganic told the Court that, during the visit by the Red Cross, detainees told the Red Cross representatives that they were treated in the most brutal way and that 20 people had been killed in the detention camp prior to their visit.
 
The State Prosecution charges Macic, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, with crimes against Serb prisoners of war and civilians in Celebici detention camp and “Musala” sports hall, near Konjic.
 
The indictment alleges that Macic participated in the murder of two Serb civilians in Celebici detention camp in 1992 and causing severe bodily injuries to civilians and prisoners of war, who were held in “Musala”.
 
The Hague Tribunal sentenced Hazim Delic, who was first Deputy and then Manager of Celebici detention camp, to 18 years’ imprisonment, while Esad Landzo, former guard, was sentenced to 15 years.  
 
During the course of his testimony witness Draganic spoke about the beating of Scepo Gotovac, who died afterwards. The witness said that Delic, Landzo and some other guards brought Gotovac, who had visible injuries on his body, to the hangar.
 
“Delic and Landzo crashed into the hangar again, took Scepo out and beat him. We heard him moaning and begging them. When he was brought back to the hangar, he had an SDS (Serbian Democratic Part) badge. He died two or three hours later,” said witness Draganic, adding that Gotovac was 72 years old.
 
The witness said that he did not see indictee Macic, whom he had known since the fifth grade of elementary school, participating in the beating of Gotovac, but he said that he saw him, as a guard, a couple of times in Celebici detention camp.
 
As he said, the witness stayed in Celebici detention camp until the end of August 1992, when he was transferred to “Musala” sports hall, where he stayed until mid November 1992.
 
The trial is due to continue on September 1, when a new State Prosecution witness will be examined.

A.J.