The trial of Samir Bejtic was postponed after both the prosecutor and defense attorney failed to appear at today’s hearing at the cantonal court of Sarajevo. Bejtic has been charged with committing war crimes in Kazani, near Sarajevo.
A state prosecution witness testifying at the trial of three former Bosniak police officials said her mother told her she’d been wounded in the leg during her detention in Jasenica and that a man known as Apica shot her. The defendants have been charged with war crimes in the Bosanska Krupa area.
The cantonal prosecution of Sarajevo has asked the Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to rescind the acquittal of Samir Bejtic. Bejtics defense asked the Supreme Court to confirm the acquittal.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, requests the Court to order prohibiting measures against three men, who are suspected of crimes against civilians in Jajce. The Defence teams do not object to the request.
The Bosnian Court has started discussions on introducing a second shift to prosecute war crimes given that the State Prosecution has raised a record number of indictments this year, BIRN has learned.
Applying a decision by the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina reduces sentences against both Zoran and Goran Damjanovic by four and a half years. Goran Damjanovic is sentenced to six and a half years for war crimes against the civilian population, while his brother Zoran is sentenced to six years.
The examination of Prosecution witnesses at the trial for crimes in the Kladanj area has been postponed due to absence of Osman Gogic, one of the nine indictees, who has begun serving his sentence.
At the renewed trial against Goran and Zoran Damjanovic, who are charged with war crimes, the Defence teams call for verdicts of release or minimal sentences according to the former Yugoslav law in the event that they are found guilty. The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina calls for an imprisonment sentence.