Prosecution Presents Closing Statements at Avdovic and Vintila Trial

Prosecutor Dzevad Muratebgovic said Avdovic was the “de facto” commander of security on the fifth floor of the central prison and military prison in the former Viktor Bubanj military barracks. He called upon the trial chamber to dismiss the defense’s claim that Avdovic didn’t perform this role and wasn’t stationed in the central prison at all.

Muratbegovic said Avdovic personally brought witness Dragomir Pejic to the central prison, where he kicked him in the shin after Pejic had said he didn’t know Miso Pejovic.

“The witness’ testimony doesn’t contain any discrepancies regarding the two most important things: what happened and Avdovic’s role,” Muratebgovic said.

Muratebgovic said that after he left the central prison, Avdovic was in charge of security at the Viktor Bubanj military barracks, where a military prison was located. Avdovic has also been charged with failing to prevent the beating of civilian detainees held there.

Muratebgovic said witnesses who were detained at the barracks had to walk between two rows of guards upon their arrival. They said the guards punched them and beat them with batons, in Avdovic’s presence. Muratebgovic said a guard named Kemal Dautovic was particularly brutal when beating the detainees.

“He [Avdovic] should have immediately shown Kemal Dautovic and the other guards that their behaviour was unacceptable,” Muratebgovic said.

Muratbegovic said the state prosecution had demonstrated that Avdovic beat two detainees named Ljubomir Drakul and Zeljko Kljajic in the Viktor Bubanj military barracks. Two counts in the indictment indicate that Avdovic allowed detainees to be taken out of the detention facility to perform forced labour, like demining the military barracks complex.

“The defendant did nothing to stop those people from being taken out,” Muratebgovic said.

With regards to Vintila, Muratbegovic said he believed the state prosecution had demonstrated that he participated in beating three detainees.

Muratbegovic described testimony given by a former detainee named Zeljko Kljacic. In his testimony, Kljajic had said that Vintila ordered him to face a wall and then beat him. Muratbegovic said Vintila also ordered Kljajic to clean feces in the detention facility’s bathroom with his bare hands.

Muratbegovic said Kljajic learned Vintila’s name while in detention. Muratbegovic said Vintila was initially a cook at the military barracks before becoming a guard.

The next hearing will be held on December 1, when Avdovic’s defense will present its closing statement.