Sixth Battalion Had No Orders Regarding Srebrenica Captives in Petkovci, Witnesses Say

A defense witness testifying at the trial of Ostoja Stanisic and Marko Milosevic said members of the Bosnian Serb Army’s Sixth Battalion didn’t participate in the murder of Srebrenica civilians in July 1995.

Ostoja Stanisic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army’s Sixth Battalion, and Marko Milosevic, his deputy, are on trial for the mass killing of approximately 1000 Srebrenica civilians on a dam near Petkovci in mid-July 1995. According to the indictment, the prisoners were held in a new school building in Petkovci prior to being taken to the dam.

Milorad Stevic, a former member of the Sixth Battalion, testified at today’s hearing in Milosevic’s defense. Stevic said he took a leave of absence for a few days in mid-July 1995, because his nephew had been killed.

Stevic said his nephew’s funeral was held on July 13, 1995. He said he saw Stanisic and Milosevic in Petkovci, the location of the Sixth Battalion’s base, on that day.

Stevic said that at around this time he had noticed a small truck, a bus and a group of prisoners in front of the battalion command. He said a group of soldiers he didn’t know was standing next to the prisoners. Stevic said none of the soldiers on the frontline were ordered to execute any tasks in relation to the prisoners.

Stevic said he heard that the prisoners had been sent to a new school building in Petkovci, before they were killed at a nearby dam.

Also testifying in Milosevic’s defense, former Sixth Battalion soldier Zeljko Jokic described events that occurred in 1993 and 1994. Prosecutor Predrag Tomic objected to Jokic’s testimony, claiming it was irrelevant to the indictment.

Jokic said Milosevic served as assistant commander of security at the battalion in 1993 and 1994.

According to Jokic, Milosevic often told soldiers to come to him if they captured enemy soldiers, and not to mistreat them. Jokic said he treated a captured member of the Bosnian Army as ordered by Milosevic.

The trial will continue on September 9.