Verdict in Goran Popovic Trial Expected Late April

Defense attorney Milos Peric said the Bosnian state prosecution hadn’t proven elements that would constitute crimes against humanity nor any single count contained in the indictment.

“The Serbian people wanted Yugoslavia to survive. It was shown to them that they were unwanted…So, the first barricades were set up, Serb pilgrims were beaten up in 1991 and a monument erected in honour of Ivo Andric was destroyed, while Murat Sabanovic occupied an electric power plant and threatened that he would open the plant gates, so both the Serb and Bosniak population began moving out of the area,” Peric said.

He said the Bosniak population voluntarily followed its army and left towards Gorazde. He said later on they left with convoys organized by the Red Cross, which according to Peric, did not constitute elements of a widespread and systematic attack.

“The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has not proven Goran Popovic’s awareness of a widespread and systematic attack either,” Peric said.

According to Peric, Popovic arrived at the Uzamnica military barracks in May 1992 in order to complete his military service. He became a guard of the Bosnian Serb Army in July 1992. Peric said Popovic remained in that position until December 1992, although the prosecution’s charges also covered events that occurred in 1993.

“Popovic objected to the paramilitary formations which came to Uzamnica. He did not share their intention to mistreat detainees. He did not participate in murders,” Peric said.

He said the prosecution hadn’t proven that Popovic had beaten witnesses Nurko Dervisevic and Adem Berberovic. According to Peric, Dervisevic said that Popovic hit him once, but it did not hurt.

“It has not been proven that detainees were forced to sing Chetnik songs or eat pork. These are nothing but totally unfounded allegations,” Peric said.

Peric said allegations that Popovic had forced detainees to have sexual relations with one another had not been proven either, because the testimonies by injured parties were “unreliable.” He said the witnesses had never mentioned the defendant before.

Popovic expressed his regrets, but said he could not feel remorse for acts he did not commit.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to hand down a verdict on April 24.