Bosniak Policeman Charged With Beating Serb Prisoners

“Vejzovic tortured the detained civilians in various ways: by beating them with [his] fists in the head, with boots, a baton and a rifle butt; by putting a gun and a knife under their throats, forcing them to eat paper and hitting them in the genitals,” the Bosnian state prosecutor’s indictment said.

“He broke a civilian’s tooth and forced him to swallow it and put out a cigarette on another civilian’s tongue. One Bosnian Serb civilian – after being exposed to torture – killed himself out of fear of being tortured again,” it said.

The men were allegedly assaulted while being questioned at the municipal office, elementary school and police station in Stupari near Kladanj between May and August 1992.

The indictment also said that while interrogating and beating the civilians, Vejzovic cursed them and said: “I am hitting you because you are a Serb” and “We will expel you all, across the River Drina [to Serbia]”.

Eight Bosniaks have already been charged with war crimes in Stupari this year.

Former police officers and territorial defence fighters Safet Mujcnovic, Selman Busnov, Nusret Muhic, Zijad Hamzic, Ramiz Halilovic, Nedzad Hodzic, Hariz Habibovic and Osman Gogic have all denied any wrongdoing and are awaiting the start of their trias.