Bosniak Fighter Jailed for Crimes Against Serb Civilians
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The court found that the detention of the civilians in a small room without windows was below the level of humane treatment, but although Ibracevic could have done something about it, he did not.
Ibracevic was also convicted of hitting a detainee at Rapatnica during an interrogation and threatening another prisoner with death at a detention facility in Luke.
The presiding judge said the three-year sentence was adequate, considering the defendant’s level of responsibility and the injuries.
“As far as the mitigating circumstances are concerned, we have considered the defendant’s previous life and the fact he is a family man. In some cases he asked for medical assistance [for detainees]. The consequences of his actions are not as severe and far-reaching as in grave war crime cases,” said presiding judge Saban Maksumic.
Ibracevic, who was the head of military security at the Srebrenik Territorial Defence Municipal Headquarters, was acquitted of unlawful detention, torture and inhumane treatment of detainees.
His co-defendants Faruk Smajlovic, a former military police traffic section commander who was in charge of guarding detention facilities, and former military policeman Sejdalija Covic, were also acquitted on all counts of torture and inhumane treatment.
“There is no doubt that Serb civilians were detained unlawfully. However, on the basis of evidence presented at the trial, the chamber has not been able to determine Ibracevic’s participation in the unlawful detention and that others committed actions on Ibracevic’s authorisation or consent and on Smajlovic’s approval,” Maksumic said.
“Furthermore, the court has not been able to determine that the defendants personally undertook the actions described in the indictment,” the judge added.
The verdict can be appealed.
Also on Friday, a cantonal court in Novi Travnik sentenced a former Bosnian Croat military policeman to 13 years in prison for crimes against prisoners of war in Jajce.
Jozo Lovrenovic was found guilty of killing police officers Milan Ilicic and Ilija Cigoje and torturing 13 prisoners.
This verdict can also be appealed.
