Selimovic et al: Security Officer without Competences

Presenting his closing statement, Alaga Bajramovic, Defence attorney of the indictee, said that none of the pieces of State Prosecution’s evidence indicated that systematic arrest of Serb civilians was conducted in the area of responsibility of the Fifth Corps with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH.

“Ruznic was not responsible for prisoners’ status. He did not participate in the establishment of detention centers, as the Prosecution calls them, or collection centers, as the Defence calls them. The evidence clearly demonstrates that Ruznic did not commit arrests or unlawful detention and that he did not have the authority to set the conditions in those centers,” Bajramovic said.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Ruznic, Mehura Selimovic and Emir Mustafic with having participated in the detention of members of the Republika Srpska, RS Army and police and civilians in detention centers in Bihac, Cazin and Bosanski Petrovac in the period from 1994 to 1996.

According to the charges, Selimovic was Counter-intelligence Officer and Deputy Chief of the Military Security Section with the Fifth Corps of ABiH, Ruznic was Assistant Commander for Security and Mustafic was military policeman.

In its closing statement the State Prosecution requested the Trial Chamber to pronounce the three former ABiH members guilty, while the Defence of Selimovic called for a verdict of release.

Defence attorney Bajramovic said that the collection centers in Bihac, Cazin and Bosanski Petrovac had “a clear command system, starting from manager to guards”, adding that Ruznic was not member of that system.

“Ruznic did examine prisoners of war, but he did that in accordance with clear instructions from his superiors. This was a legitimate and socially justified task, considering the fact that he questioned prisoners of war about war crimes and mass graves,” Bajramovic said.

The Defence attorney said that certain parts of the State Prosecution’s indictment were incomprehensive, as it said that Ruznic allowed unknown perpetrators to mistreat prisoners.

“In this way it is impossible to check whether a subordination system in the relation between those unknown persons and indictee Ruznic existed,” Bajramovic said.

The Defence of the second indictee is due to continue presenting its closing statement of Wednesday, July 18.
D.Dz.