Muderizovic and Avdovic: Custody Extension Requested

The State Prosecution requests the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to extend custody for Besim Muderizovic and Ramiz Avdovic, who are suspected of crimes in the “Viktor Bubanj” military barracks in Sarajevo.

The Defence attorneys of Muderizovic and Avdovic requested the Court to release the suspects to liberty. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina will render its decision at a later stage.

Explaining the custody extension motion, State Prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic said that, if released to liberty, Muderizovic and Avdovic might influence witnesses and other suspects, while the public order and peace could be disturbed as well.

According to Muratbegovic, the State Investigation and Protection Agency, SIPA has discovered that suspect Muderizovic visited Eastern Sarajevo a few months ago and inquired about people, who had been held in the military prison in the “Viktor Bubanj” military barracks.

The Prosecutor says that SIPA has discovered that suspect Avdovic too visited Eastern Sarajevo and asked one person to say that he did not participate in the abuse of prisoners.

“I am asking the Court to order two-month extension of custody for the suspects. The investigation should be completed within that period of time,” Prosecutor Muratbegovic said.

The Defence of the suspects asked the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina not to approve the custody extension motion, saying that the Prosecutor’s reasons were general and not supported by arguments.

Emir Kapidzic, Defence attorney of suspect Muderizovic, said that the State Prosecution’s arguments were unreliable, proposing to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to release Muderizovic to liberty, but hold him in home detention and order him to report to a police station every day.

Suspect Avdovic said that he “swears to everything that he did not meet the witnesses” and that he was not commander of guards, but an ordinary guard.

Mirza Kovac, Defence attorney of Avdovic, proposed to the Court to release Avdovic to liberty, order him into home detention and ban him from meeting “anybody else but his family members”.

Muderizovic and Avdovic have been held in custody since their arrest on October 20 this year.