Pelemis and Peric: A Total of 35 Years’ Imprisonment

“The two indictees did not design the criminal plan for execution of prisoners, but they became aware, by the afternoon on July 15 at the latest, of what was going to happen to the prisoners and kept guarding them, until the last person was taken to Branjevo farm,” the verdict says.

It was said that at least 500 male prisoners, who had been brought to the school building in Kula and Cultural Center in that village on July 14, were killed on both Branjevo and in the Cultural Center in Pilica.

“Momir Pelemis ordered the redeployment of 30 members of the First Battalion to the school building in order to guard the prisoners. He ordered Peric to supervise and coordinate those activities…Under the command of Pelemis and other officers, Peric organized the activities that included putting blindfolds on prisoners’ eyes and tying their hands and loading the prisoners to buses, which then transported them to Branjevo,” the Chamber said.

Besides that, under the first instance verdict it was determined that, on July 15 and 16 members of the First Battalion were deployed to the Cultural Center in order to guard prisoners and tasked with loading and burying the killed people.

Explaining the verdict, Trial Chamber Chairman Ljubomir Kitic said that the indictees knew that the prisoners would be killed, adding that, prior to the Pilica events, mass executions had been committed in Orahovac village. As he said, those events were known to the Zvornik Brigade Command.

“The indictees did not play a decisive role, but they did make a significant contribution. They gave permission for using the First Battalion’s resources. (…) They were not the organizers of the crime, but had they not offered help, the key organizers would be left alone and could not execute their intentions to that extent,” Kitic said.

When deciding on the sentence, the Chamber determined that Peric played a more active role in those events, so the sentence against Peric is by three years longer than the one pronounced against Pelemis.

The trial of the indictees began in March 2009. The time they have spent under custody – from November 2008 onwards – will be calculated towards their sentences. The Chamber has extended custody for both indictees.

The parties have the right to file a first instance verdict appeal with the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.