Witness Describes Alleged Abuse by Pero Radisic

“He didn’t beat me, but he abused me on the basis of nationality,” Huskic said.

Huskic said he ran away in 1994 because he didn’t want to be a member of Radisic’s Working Squad any more, and because of Radisic’s abuse.

“One night, when I came home, someone knocked on my door…My father opened and I heard, ‘Pero Radisic is here. God forgives, but Django [Pero Radisic] does not.’ He was looking for me, but I escaped through the window,” Huskic said. Huskic identified Radisic in the courtroom.

According to Huskic, Radisic abducted his father and wife and took them to a mosque in Gornji Rankovic in the middle of 1994. Radisic allegedly abused them.

“My father was taken to the frontline so that I would come back to the Working Squad. On the second day, my father returned, all bruised and beaten…He told me Pero Radisic beat him,” Huskic said.

Huskic said he returned to the Working Squad in 1995, and since then has had no contact with Radisic.

The state prosecution has charged Radisic, the former commander of the Working Squad of the Teslicka Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska, with participating in the physical abuse, mental abuse, inhumane treatment, and forced labour of Bosniak civilians from 1992-1995.

Radisic allegedly had several prisoners perform forced labour. At least six people were killed and a number were wounded on the frontline while performing forced labour.

The defense asked Huskic if he previously knew Radisic. Huskic said he was forced to work at the Partizan football club, and was assigned to Radisic twice.

Radisic said that the hearing was the first time he had met Huskic, and that he never went to the village of Rankovici searching for him.

The trial will continue on March 27.