Bosnian Croat’s Prisoner Torture Trial Opens

Tolic, a former member of the 102nd Odzak Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, went on trial in Sarajevo on Thursday for war crimes against civilian prisoners in northern Bosnia in 1992.

He is accused of having taken part in the abuse of civilians who were unlawfully detained at a primary school and a factory in the town of Odzak, as well as a construction warehouse and a secondary school in the Bosanski Brod municipality.

According to the charges, Tolic, who was guarding the Serb detainees, took a few of them out of the school building in Odzak, beat them up and then forced them to sing and lick their own blood.

The indictment also charges him with the disappearance of one detainee and the beating of four others at the school building in Odzak, who later died from their injuries.

Tolic is further charged with being responsible for the death of another man who died after having been beaten up at the secondary school in Bosanski Brod, and with the sexual abuse and rape of female detainees who were held in the construction warehouse.

He is also accused of taking detainees to do forced labour, some of whom were killed while digging trenches.

“No military or honourable elements can be found in his actions,” said prosecutor Milorad Barasin in his opening statement.

Defence lawyer Rifat Konjic said that Tolic did not take part in these crimes, while the defendant told the court he could help to track down the real culprits.

“I shall help the prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina find the perpetrators of 80 per cent of the crimes covered by the indictment,” Tolic said.

The trial is due to continue on December 12.