Bosnian Serb Soldier Jailed for Abusing Civilians

Radisic, who served with the Bosnian Serb Army’s Teslicka Brigade during the war, was convicted of treating two civilians in an inhumane manner in the winter of 1994.

“The defendant’s actions targeting those civilians clearly demonstrate his intention to cause fear and physical pain to the injured parties,” said presiding judge Jasmina Kosovic.

“There is no doubt that he acted with direct premeditation,” Kosovic added.

The court took into account the fact that Radisic had no previous convictions, that he helped some civilians during the war and that he was wounded himself as mitigating circumstances in handing down the two-year prison sentence.

Radisic was acquitted of charges of seven other counts in the indictment because the court did not manage to determine without reasonable doubt that he had committed the crimes, Kosovic said.

She said some of the witnesses had not witnessed the events directly, but only had indirect information about them, and that the prosecution’s evidence did not have the necessary strength and persuasiveness to secure a conviction.

Radisic failed to appear in court to hear the verdict for health reasons.

The verdict can be appealed.