Defence Accuses Prosecutor of Hiding Documents

Defence attorney Branko Karadeglic presented a statement given by Alija Kaplan to the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2010, in which he said that Veselko Raguz was linked to influencing Medin Kaplan not to testify and that the case was reported to police.

The Defence attorney said that Medin Kaplan testified on January 24, 2012, but he denied that pressure was put on him in order not to testify. Also, he presented an official note made by the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina prior to his testimony that day. The mentioned note indicates that Medin Kaplan said that pressure was not put on him.

Karadeglic said that, when he examined Medin Kaplan, he did not know that the official note existed, adding that he received it later on, when the extension of measures against Veselko Raguz was discussed.

After that he accused Prosecutor Remzija Smailagic of eliding the fact that she had received the official note. The Prosecutor responded by saying that she would reply at the next hearing scheduled for August 21.

Veselko Raguz, former Commander of the Fourth Battalion with the “Knez Domagoj” Brigade of the HVO, and Ivo Raguz, a member of that Brigade, are charged with having participated in crimes against Bosniak civilians, who were detained in Stolac and Capljina, during the armed conflict between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, and HVO in July and August 1993.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina alleges that Veselko Raguz ordered, assisted or directly participated in the unlawful arrest and detention of civilians, as well as resettlement of Bosniak women and children and physical abuse and tortured of detained civilians in those towns.

Ivo Raguz is charged with having participated in the physical abuse of detained civilians.