Constant Beating
Witness Ejub Smajic said that he was apprehended to the Police Station in Bijeljina in the summer of 1992 and that he was then transported to the Batkovic detention camp hangars, near Bijeljina.
They handcuffed me and transported me, as well as Ferid Zecevic and Husein Curcevic, by minivan from the Police Station to Batkovic. On our arrival, we were met by Ljubisa Misic, who escorted us behind the hangar, where they began beating us immediately. Misic and five or six other people beat us with handles, picks and all sorts of objects. The beating lasted about half an hour. On that day they took us out two more times in order to beat us, Smajic said.
According to Smajics testimony, the mistreatment and beating continued in the days that followed. He said that Ferid Zecevic and Husein Curcevic died due to the injuries caused by the beating.
Those were incredible injuries. The pain was so great that I could not lie down for a month I could only sit. Two of my ribs were broken due to the beating, so I could hardly breathe. The two of them died due to the beating. I survived somehow. I know that, because we were in the same room. I could see swellings and bruises all over their bodies and faces, Smajic said.
He mentioned that guards included him in a group of 12 detainees, whom they called special policemen, adding that they mistreated them more than others and beat them nearly every day.
Smajic told the Court that Ljubomir Misic was the key organiser of the mistreatment. He would often single me out from other detainees, hit me and threatened me by saying that he would kill me, the witness said.
The Bijeljina District Prosecution charges Ljubomir Misic, also known as Ljubisa, along with Petar Dmitrovic, Djoko Pajic and Djordje Krstic, with having beaten and physically mistreated detainees, including civilians, the wounded and prisoners of war, in 1992 and 1993.
During his testimony Smajic said that he had not known Misic prior to coming to Batkovic, adding that, during his 45-day stay in the detention camp he found out what his name was, because guards used to address him as Sergeant Ljubisa. He said that he did not know the other indictees.
During the cross-examination the Defence of the indictees tried to deny Smajics testimony, pointing to certain discrepancies between his testimony and earlier statements given to the Cantonal Prosecution in Tuzla.
Testifying for the Prosecution at this hearing, witness Hasan Sehic said that he was brought to Batkovic detention camp on June 26, 1992. He confirmed that detainees were beaten up and tortured during his stay, adding that he was beaten up twice as well.
Sehic told the Court that guards mistreated a group of detainees, whom they called special policemen, more than other detainees, adding that he heard that three persons died due to injuries caused by the beating.
The trial is due to continue on April 9 this year.
