Witness Says Hodzic Intervened on his Behalf at Djurdjevik Checkpoint
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Hodzic is on trial with Safet Mujcinovic, Selman Busnov, Nusret Muhic, Zijad Hamzic, Ramiz Halilovic and Osman Gogic, former members of civil and military police, as well as the Territorial Defense, for crimes committed in the Kladanj area.
They’ve been charged with the unlawful detention of Serb civilians in Stupari, as well as their assault and inhumane treatment.
Martinovic said he went to the police station in Stupari in the municipality of Kladanj in August 1992, as all Serbs in the area had to to be registered by the police.
“I heard on TV that all Serbs should go to the SUP [Secretariat of Internal Affairs] in order to be registered. I went there and was held in detention for a couple of days,” Martinovic said. He said he wasn’t mistreated during that time and that he was fed.
He said he returned to Zivinice two days later, where he lived with his wife during the war. Upon his return, he was being driven by SUP officials from Stupari and was stopped at a checkpoint near Djurdjevik.
“Fifteen soldiers dressed in camouflage uniforms stopped us and asked to see our IDs. When he saw I was a Serb, one of them started dragging me out of the vehicle. Nedzad Hodzic, who was with me in the car, saved me,” Martinovic said.
Martinovic said he had never heard anything negative about Hodzic.
“During the war my family lived in the educational workers’ building in Stupari. I remember my father telling me they felt safer when Nedzad guarded them,” Martinovic said.
Zijad Heric, a former reserve policeman who used to work with Hodzic at the Secretariat of Internal Affairs in Stupari, also testified at today’s hearing. Heric confirmed he had never heard that Hodzic mistreated anyone.
“I know he was tasked with guarding the educational workers’ buildings where Serbs stayed during the war, but those people never told me any bad things about Nedzad,” Heric said.
The defense’s presentation of evidence was completed with the examination of these witnesses. At the next hearing, scheduled for February 19, defendant Osman Gogic will testify in his own defense.
