First Indictment for Janja War Crimes Filed

The suspects are Zoran Bogdanovic, Milan Djokic, Ljubisa Ikic and Branislav Trisic, former members and commanding staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, the Bijeljina public safety center and the Janja police station. They are suspected of having participated in the unlawful detention, search and assault of the Bosniak population from Janja and its surrounding vicinity.

“The unlawfully arrested victims were tortured, abused and beaten. Severe bodily injuries, which have left permanent consequences on their health, were inflicted upon them. One person died from the abuse,” the state prosecution said.

The prosecution further alleges that due to the atmosphere of fear which was instilled on a daily basis, the Bosniak population was forced to leave the Janja area. They allegedly paid certain amounts of money to members of the Bosnian Serb Army to allow them to go to territory controlled by the Bosnian Army or to cross the border into Serbia.

“The residents who stayed in Janja were taken to the Batkovic detention camp in order to perform forced labour or were used as human shields in combat on Mount Majevica,” the prosecution announced.

The court previously ordered prohibitive measures against the suspects. Those measures include a ban on leaving their place of residence and meeting witnesses or other suspects in the case.

“This indictment is the first one filed by judicial bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes in the Janja area. The prosecution proposes that 56 witnesses and court experts be examined. More than 70 pieces of material evidence have been attached,” the announcement says.

The indictment has been filed with the Bosnian state court for confirmation.