Witness at Ninkovic Trial Describes Mistreatment of Doboj Detainees

Branislav Ninkovic, a former guard at the district prison of Doboj, has been charged with participating in the torture and abuse of arrested non-Serb civilians on the prison premises from May 1992 to March 1993.

Witness Vojin Lukic, who still works at the Doboj prison, testified at today’s hearing.

“Some people were hit. I know about the ‘Red Berets’ and some men from Krajina. No members of the prison staff could oppose them. Some people were taken to the hospital. A doctor or nurse from the health center would come in order to take care of the injuries of the detainees,” Lukic said.

Lukic told the district court of Doboj that some people were brought into the detention unit, even without a warrant. According to Lukic, local residents of Bukovacke Civcije and Grapska were in the prison as well, but he couldn’t remember when they were brought in.

“Some detainees were taken away. There are lists and records in the prison administration. Between 600 and 700 detainees were present. I think Avdo Kurtovic was among them,” Lukic said.

At the beginning of June 2014, Ninkovic was sentenced to two years in prison. The Supreme Court of Republika Srpska (RS) repealed the verdict and ordered a retrial.

The trial will continue on March 9.