Bosnia Camp Guard’s Prisoner Abuse Trial Opens

“We will prove that the defendant was an active participant in the detention, torture and sexual abuse of the civilians,” prosecutor Seid Marusic told the Sarajevo court on Wednesday.

He said that he would also prove during the trial that there had been a wide-ranging and systematic attack on Visegrad, that Popovic knew about it and consciously participated in it.

The Bosnian prosecution charges Popovic with participation in the abuse, beating and torture of prisoners while he was a guard at the Uzamnica detention camp, as well as the sexual abuse of men and women.

“[Protected witness codenamed] S-3 will describe that he forced her and [another witness identified only as] S.M. to have sexual intercourse with prisoners, and when they refused to do that, he would beat them,” Marusic said.

Popovic’s lawyer Milos Peric said that the defendant was not guilty.

“I intend to challenge the indictment during the proceedings. He was 20 years old, he was assigned to Uzamnica. He was not the part of that plan. Due to the circumstances, he found himself in that position and at that location,” Peric said.

Popovic was initially charged along with his father, Jovan Popovic, but the elfer man’s case was separated from his son’s due to illness.

The first prosecution witness will be called on June 25.