Bosnian Serb Soldier Misses Village Attacks Hearing
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The Bosnian state court on Monday postponed the hearing on Samardzija’s plea, after his lawyer said that the defendant, who lives in Serbia, had been admitted to the Military Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade.
Samardzija, the former commander of the 17th Light Infantry Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army, is charged with participating in attacks on the Bosniak-populated villages and hamlets of Ramici, Krasulje, Hripavci, Osljak, Donji Biljani, Botonjici, Domazeti, Brkici and Jabukovica from May 1992 to the end of the year.
Several hundred civilians were killed in the attacks and some of the survivors were physically and mentally abused, the indictment alleges.
Judge Minka Kreho asked prosecutor Cazim Hasanspahic whether he was thinking that Samardzija’s case could be transferred to Serbia under the protocol on cooperation between the prosecutor’s offices of Bosnia and Serbia.
“We had no information that defendant was admitted to the VMA, so we need some time to examine the possibilities and to state our stance,” Hasanpahic replied.
Judge Kreho said that the court had previously obtained the accused’s medical records from his lawyer and it has been established that Samardzija was able to attend the trial.
