CONCENTRATION CAMPS, PRISON AND BROTHELS
Coordinator: Mr. Ugljesa Jeremic
Editor & translator: Ms. Jill Starr
Art director: Mr. Milosh Zorica
Publisher: LPC Yugoslavia
© 2001 LPC Yugoslavia
The first concentration camps established in Bosnia and Herzegovina were for Serbs. Following are the pictures of those camps:
Conc.camp “Fudbalski stadion” in Bosanski Brod
Conc.camp “Tulek”, Suburb of Bosanski Brod.
Conc.camp “Building material warehouse”, in the center of Bosanski Brod, also used as a camp for Serbs .
Conc.camp “Railway station” in Bosanski Brod where the Serb population of Novi Grad was held. Almost all prisoners are considered as disappeared, since their bodies have not been found up to date.
The arrest, abuse and killing of Serbs in former B&H began in an organized manner in April 1992, immediately after the secession of this former Yugoslav republic. The combined Moslem and Croat forces resumed the brutal and bloodthirsty practices of their Ustashi forefathers in the 11 World War, but now on an even more hideous scale. The truth about the sufferings of the Serbs in the Croatian and Moslems prisons and concentration camps has not been able to penetrate to the world public either through the foreign media or through the official representatives of foreign countries, although they were duly informed about it. However documents have been collected on the aggression of the Republic of Croatia’s (approx. 60,000 strong) armed forces against the Serb nation in B&H and on the individual suffering and collective disaster of the Serbs in the Croatian-Moslem controlled areas. Only the Serbs in the FR of Yugoslavia and the diaspora have understood their catastrophic position. Countless appeals have been sent to them from the Republic of Srpska and the Republic of Serbian Krajina to understand and help in spreading the truth about this new tragedy for the Serb nation.
REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA PRESIDENCY
No. 0 1 – 1 049/92.
Pale, 30.8.1992.
TO SERBS IN THE WORLD
I appeal to you to use your connections to make the truth about the sufferings of the Serb nation accessible to all the media in the places where you live. Our tragedy is boundless. In spite of our evil experience in the past, the cruelty, atrocity and methods of destroying our nation now being applied have shocked us. In our despair, horror and discouragement we omitted to immediately inform the world about this. In keeping with our old habits we have taken on this whole Golgotha on our own, unaware that it is necessary for others to know about it. In the meantime, our enemies began to depict our suffering, our dead and our people mutilated in death as their own victims and us, as the perpetrators of these crimes. We have thus lost much time and the media war against the whole world. I beg you in the name of the Serb nation, in the name of justice and God, to convey to the world, the truth about our tragedy.
Presidency member
Prof.dr Biljana Plavsic
The most characteristic examples of the deportation and exodus of Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed in percent ages (data from the 1991 population count) or in numbers:
Concentration camps for Serbs on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
1.Livno (castle-old town) – approx. 950 Serbs;
2.Tomislavgrad (secondary school) approcx. 500 Serbs;
3.Tomislavgrad – village of Rascani: all Serbs are blocked in this village, without food or medical assistance – approx. 1000 Serbs;
4.Bugojno (house of a murdered Serb, Relja Lukic) approx. 50 Serbs;
5.Bugojno (“Slavko Rodic” factory) – approx. 700 Serbs;
6.Jajce (castle) – approx. 500 Serbs;
7.Bihac (“Jedinstvo” football stadium) approx. 900 Serbs;
8.Orasje (football stadium) – approx. 100 Serbs; concentration camp commander Pero Vincentic from Donja Mahala;
9.Odzak (con.camp commander Mijo Barisic) approx. 400 Serbs in the primary school;
10.Odzak (“Stolit” company) – approx. 150 Serbs;
11.Odzak (village of Novi Grad) 1000-1500 Serbs mainly women and children;
12.Odzak (primary school, village of Poljari) – 59 Serbs;
13. Odzak (former military depot in the village of Rabidi) – approx. 300; (The Serbs were transferred from the camps in Poijari and Rabid on the 1. 7. 1992, towards Bosanski Brod. The Serbs killed in the Oddzak camps are buried with a dredger in the cemetery near the hospital in Odzak, which is the job of Fuad Alijagic);
14. Konjic (railway tunnel above the village of Bradina) – approx. 3,000 Serbs;
15. Hadzici (culture center in the village of Pazaric) – approx. 150 Serbs;
16. Ilidza (“Famos” football stadium; interrogation is conducted by Pero Sutalo from Vinkovac, Samir Lokvancic and Haris Ciko) – approx. 800 Serbs, mainly women and children;
17. Tuzla (“Tusanj” stadium) – approx. 4,000 Serbs;
18. Bosanski Brod (suburb by the river Sava) – approx. 400 Serbs;
19. Zenica (prison) – approx. 2,000 Serbs; until today many have been killed by being thrown into the blast furnaces in the “Zenica” steelworks;
20. Jablanica (village of Cefebidi near Lake Jablanica) – approx. 500 Serbs;
21. Kladanj (village of Stupari) – approx. 50 Serbs; each day one is taken out and hung;
22. Sarajevo: (“Kosevo” stadium, “Zetra” center, Sarajevo railway station, women’s prison, “Mladen Stojanovic” students’ center, “25. maj” nursery in Svrakino seIo, the “Sipad” warehouse, “Pofalici” reformatory);
23. Sarajevo: “Viktor Bubanj” former JNA barracks in which approx. 250 Serbs live in intolerable conditions. Rooms for one person accommodate 10-12 people. Chief interrogator: Mile Davidovic, former basket-ball referee, and besides others, there are 20 Arab prison guards;
24. Sarajevo: vaults of the Privredna banka Sarajevo, where there are approx. 170 Serbs. The members of the HVO unit known as the “Quadrant” who guard this concentration camp call it the “torture-house for Serbs”. The “Quadrant” HVO unit commander is Zlatko Lagumdjija. The camp commander is Dragoslav Dojcinovic, karate expert;
25. Sarajevo: “Vladimir Nazor” school for retarded children, where approx. 200 Serbs are imprisoned;
26. Sarajevo: Neboder (Skyscraper) No. 2 on Pera Kosoric Square. The commander of this concentration camp is Edin Bahtic, former footballer. Mass murders are carried out on the console over the river Miljacka. In one night, 27 Serbs were murdered and the chief mass-murderers are Edin Bahtic, Safe Klepo, Omer Bezbjej, Safet Kepic, Haris Terzic and Uzeir Saric;
27. Sarajevo: Sarajevo Central Prison where there are approx. 600 Serbs. The commander is Ismet Bajramovic known as “Celo”, a notorious international criminal;
28. Sarajevo: children’s nursery in Palmiro Toljati Street – approx. 580 Serbs. Pero Rika is in charge of the prison. (In charge of the “Zetra” concentration camp is Safet Isovic, an SDA member in the so-called Assembly of B&H. There are approx. 1,500 Serbs in this conc. camp and so far approx. 300 have been killed.)
29. Bugojno: “Rostovo” ski resort – approx. 150 Serbs;
30. Bugojno: Gymnasium (secondary school) building – approx. 200 Serbs;
31. Bugojno: coalmine in the village of Gracanica approx. 200 Serbs;
32. Konjic: new housing estate – approx. 1,500 Serbs;
33. Konjic: village of Donje Selo – approx. 500 Serbs;
34. Konjic: village of Buturovic Poije – approx. 200 Serbs;
35. Zenica: Prison, Pavillion 5 – approx. 300 Serbs;
36. Ljubuski: Pre-Trial Confinement Prison – aprox. 80 Serbs;
37. Grude: garage premises – approx. 30 Serbs;
38. Hrasnica: “Aleksa Santic” elementary school ( approx. 160 Serbs;
39. Pazaric: warehouses in the village of Krupska Rijeka – approx. 140 Serbs, prison commander Serif Mesanovic;
40. Mostar: District Gaol – approx. 300 Serbs;
41. Gorazde: village of Vitkovici – approx. 380 Serbs;
42. Gorazde: village of Sasici – approx. 100 Serbs isolated;
43. Capljina: village of Dretelj – approx. 400 Serbs. They are also interrogated by about 20-30 mercenaries from Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain and U.S.A;
44. Tarcin: wheat silos – approx. 250 Serbs;
45. Novi Travnik: shaft for the distribution of liquid chemicals in the “Bratstvo” factory – approx. 100 Serb;
46. Metkovici (Republic of Croatia): tobacco factory plant – approx. 150 Serbs;
47. Split: Lora port facilities – approx. 500 Serbs;
48. Vrgovac: private garage – approx. 50 Serbs;
49. Imotski: police station facilities – approx. 20 S and 50.
Zagreb: Kerestinae Prison – approx. 500 Serbs. Currently on the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatian and Moslem forces are holding approx. 50, Serbs, mainly women and children, in concentrate camps and about 10,000 Serbs have been killed. The number is increasing each day.
Brothels of Serb women formed by the Moslem and Croatian forces:
1. Sarajevo: “Zagreb” hotel basement. There are approx. 40-50 women of Serb nationality for the members of the Moslem “Territorial Defense” of B&H;
2. Sarajevo: “Bjelave” student hostel – approx. 3 Serbs women;
3. Sarajevo: “Zetra” sports centre – approx. 30 Serbs women;
4. Sarajevo: “Borsalino” cafe – approx. 10 Serbs women;
5. Sarajevo: brick kiln, on the premises of the former “Djordjevic” company – approx. 30 Serbs women;
6. Sarajevo: Faculty of Civil Engineering – approx. 100 Serbs women; the manager of the brothel is Mirza Delibasic, the famous international basket-ball player;
7. Hadzici: village of Urduk near Pazaric – approx. 10 Serbs women;
8. Hadzici: elementary school building in the village of Tarcin – approx. 50 Serbs women;
9. Tuzla: secondary school premises – approx. 100 Serbs women;
10.Tuzla: student hostel –approx. 200 Serbs women;
11.Tuzla: private house on the road to Srebrenik near Previle – approx. 15 Serbs women;
12.Bugojno: house belonging to the murdered Serb Reljo Lukic – approx. 15 Serbs women;
13.Bugojno: “Rostovo” ski center – approx. 30 Serbs women;
14.Konjic: “Amadeus” cafe in town center – approx. 20 Serbs women;
15.Konjic: village of Butrovic Polje – approx. 50 Serbs women;
16.Bihac: restaurant belonging to Mustafa Vukovic who is also the manager of a brothel containing approx. 30 Serbs women;
Beside those 16 brothels where approx. 800 Serbs women are imprisoned and sexually abused by the members of Moslem “Territorial Defense” of Bosnia and the Croatian Army and paramilitary units. We have managed to obtain data, in all the concentration camps for Serbs women, girls and even small girl-children are subjected to unprecedented sexual abuse.
Bihac
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the District Penitentiary in Bihac – Luke, second half of 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Because of extremely cruel treatment of imprisoned Serbs in this prison camp, from the injuries inflicted upon them the following persons have died:
1. Radakovic Jovo, born in 1934, who was previously beaten several times. From the injuries suffered for 15 days he could not either eat or drink, all the time lying semi-conscious in the corner of the cell. After he was transferred to the hospital in Bihac he died there.
2. in the prison in Bihac also died a young man – a Serb and his identity is now being established.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Santic Josip, a Croat, chief of security in Bihac, before the war captain in the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA).
2. Dedic, a Muslim, prison warden.
3. Remic Hando, some 30 years old, foreman of the prison shift.
4. Mujic Fadil, guard, before the war a merchant, who was especially torturing the inmates.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Bihac, prison camp in the basement of Hotel “Park”, May 1995
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness a. states as follows:
“…I was a military conscript and on May 5, 1995 I was captured by the members of the Muslim army. Immediately after capture we were taken with blindfolded eyes to the brigade prison in the “Park” hotel in Bihac. There I was submitted to interrogation day and night. The guard commander was Alem Jusic. When we were brought there he was taking us out and was hitting one by one of us individually and mercilessly by fists, boots and truncheons
We were placed in one room, which was very small and were sleeping on concrete with some sponge on it. The three of us were kept in that prison for 9 days. In this period we would be taken several times during the day and often at night for interrogation and beating.
They were calling us all the time Chetnicks, slaughterers, they were swearing at our Serbian mother saying that we will be shot.
On the last ninth day of our stay in this prison camp, commander Jusic blind-folded us, then took us four individually and gave us a beating until we fainted. He was hitting us with boots, fists and truncheons. The beating took a very long time, so that I was fainting every now and then from the blows. The soldiers who were standing near by would take me up on my feet and would hit me again until I fell.
After one extremely hard beating I was taken to the Central Penitentiary in Bihac…”.
The witness B. states as follows:
“… After I was captured I was taken to the brigade prison in hotel “Park” in Bihac.
We were placed in a small room in the cellar which was without windows.
In this prison we were kept for 9 days. We were taken several times per day for interrogation. Mostly at night.
During the last day of our stay in this prison, Alem Jusic came with a group of Muslim policemen and first of all blind-folded us then took us to another room. They were taking us out individually and were beating us without mercy. They were hitting us with fists, boots and truncheons all over the body. I was beaten by several Muslim policemen from all the sides, until I fainted. When I was falling, they were hitting me with boots on the head. That is why I had to keep myself standing for as long as I could. From the strikes I was all bruised, covered with blood and swollen, two teeth were broken in the lower front law…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Jusic Alem, guard commander in the prison camp in the cellar of “Park” Hotel in Bihac.
2. “Dido”, investigating judge in prison and other members of the 501st Bihac Muslim Brigade.
Orasje
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Orasje, years 1991-1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In Orasje until the war started, there were some 400 Serbian families. The village had a majority of Muslim population and was surrounded with villages having majority population of Croat nationality.
After the political parties HDZ (Croat Democratic Community) and the SDA (Party of Democratic Action) were formed during the year 1991, local population established their units in which the Croats were bearing insignia of the HVO (Croat Defense Council) and the Muslims insignia of the “Green Berets”.
Both ones and the others started sending threats to the Serbian population, saying that they will be either expelled or killed. They were saying that Croats and Muslims had formed special units with the task to slaughter Serbian population.
Serbian population was told that they must leave Orasje as soon as possible. Threats were growing from day to day.
Then the arrests started of Serbs.
Muslims with whom the members of the family of this testifying witness 679/95-31 were friends, were telling them confidentially in early April 1992 that they will all be slaughtered if they do not leave Orasje immediately. The witness took seriously this warning and with his family left Orasje on April 16, 1992.
In Orasje remained the brother of this witness with his family and he was arrested in early May 1992 and taken to the prison camp, where he was so terribly tortured that he died of the inflicted injuries in February of 1993.
The witness, while leaving Orasje, left the house with the ground floor and one story, two shops in the house, of the value according to the estimation of this witness of some 200,000 DEM.
When the witness 679/95-13 was told by his colleagues at work who were not Serbs, that he would have to leave Orasje, he took this for a joke. However, they continued telling him that, so he took it more seriously.
The decisive decision to leave Orasje he took when he saw that weapons and ammunition were brought into the house of his neighbor Bela Hovic, which were then from that house distributed to the Croat and Muslim population. Bela Hovic was from time to time checking on the armament by shooting at the roof of the witness’s house.
Concluding that he can no longer stay in Orasje, the witness left Orasje on April 17, 1992 together with his family. At that time some 350 families of Serbs left Orasje, so that only some 20 Serbian families remained there.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Benkovic Marko, of father Maros, born in 1953 in the village of Ugljara, Municipality of Orasje, was at the head of the Croat armed formations in Orasje.
2. Bela Hovic
Konjic
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Village of Homolje near Konjic, April 19, 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: After the fighting in Gornje Selo between Muslims and Croats who were enemies at that time, Muslim soldiers entered Donje Selo in which there were Croat houses, among the majority of Serbian population.
In Donje Selo they separated all the men – both Serbs and Croats, a total of some 95 of them and expelled them to the village of Homolje. There they separated Serbs from Croats.
After that they separated all those who were in the prison camp of Celebic. Then those who were in that camp and who could show the certificate of the International Red Cross were left in a group, and those who did not have the certificate were taken aside and publicly shot.
On this occasion the following Serbs were killed:
1. Kuljanin Zoran, of father Todor, from Donje Selo.
2. Ristic Obren, from Buturovic Polje
3. Golubovic Nedho from Konjic and another
4. NN Serbs
Since Kuljanin Zoran was still alive, Almir Habibija went to him and hit him on the temple with a riffle but, thus crushing his head.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Cibo Safet from the village of Piljana near Konjic, commander of the unit of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
2. Habibija Almir from Konjic, member of the so-called
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Konjic, prison camp in the sports hall “Musala”, January-October 1994.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness was arrested together with his mother, sister, wife and son while trying to cross into the territory of the Republic of Srpska.
Muslim police took them to the sports hall “Musala” which was transformed into a prison camp. They were sleeping on bare concrete or on plastic, which was spread on the floor in the dressing room of this prison camp. Food was bad and it happened that for five days they would receive only one piece of bread. In fact, they were coerced into giving a blood donation and since this witness refused to give his blood, he was deprived of food.
The witness was beaten two or three times with truncheons on legs and hands.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Zilic Edin, from Konjic, prison warden
2. Cibo from Konjic, who replaced Zilic as prison camp warden
3. Arnaut Saban, from Ugosce, deputy warden
4. Kemo from Konjic
5. Zilic Ramo, guard, brother of Zilic Edin
6. Dzajic Ahmed, from Konjic, guard
7. Landzo Esad, called “Zenga” and “Zija” of father Sulja, born in 1970 (or 1972) in Celebici, a guard
8. Hebibovic Ismet, called “Broceta”, some 45 years old, from Konjic, prison camp commander.
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND CRIME; Prison camp in the sports hall “Musala” in Konjic, May 22-August 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness was detained in this camp together with another 21 prisoners in a small dressing room, so that there was not enough space for them to lye down and sleep. In this room there were no blankets and the floor was plastic. They were urinating and defecating in the corner of this dressing room.
The worst was the fate of those who would ask for water or would complain. They were especially beaten with truncheons. Prisoners were forced to fight each other.
The inmates of this prison camp were once kept without any food for three days. When on the fourth day they were given food, they received salty canned fish but no water. One loaf of bread was divided on 19 persons.
Especially cruel was the treatment of the imprisoned Serbs from Bradine, who were brought into this prison camp on May 25, 1992. The corridor in which they were beating these inmates was all covered with blood.
In one of the dressing rooms, women were detained and they were individually being taken to the school building, which was close to the sports hall. Women would return from there in tears, and guards were boasting that some of these women are ‘good’ and some ‘bad’, and the witness assumes that they were raped.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Hebibovic Ismet, called “Broceta”, 45 years old, from Konjic, commander of the prison camp
2. Kazazic Senad, guard commander
3. Slato Meho
4. Jeleskovic Edin, called “Edo” and “Muf”, some 40 years old, from Konjic, used to work in “Igman” company, guard in the prison camp, extreme in cruelty towards inmates
5. Kurtic
6. Ploskic
7. Dedic from Dubrovnik
8. Spago Enid, called “Kravar”, of father Hamdija, born in 1965 in Konjic, was residing in Konjic, guard in the prison camp
9. Pelic Sefik, called “Kiko”
10. Gusic Zijad and his brother called
11. “Pace”, a guard
12. Vrtic Remzo, a guard
13. “Nidza”, a guard
14. Dedic Osman, called “Osmo”, from Konjic, former player in the soccer cub “Igman”, guard in the prison camp
15. Arnaut Saban, from Ugosce near Konjic
16. Mraovic Salko, from Konic
17. Turkovic, called “Ture”
18-19. Brothers Juka, Skypetars (Kosovo Albanians) from Konjic
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Konjic, prison camp in the “Musala” sports hall, November 1994 – March 1995.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In this period there were 7 imprisoned Serbs in this prison camp.
The detained Serbs were individually beaten by the guards, and also were beaten by the members of military security who were interrogating them.
They were showing knives to prisoners with which they would slaughter them and some appliances which they explained were used for breaking of fingers.
One of witness is testifying as follows:
“…in this prison camp I was beaten by Dizdarevic called “Pele”. Food was poor and scarce. I lost 6 kilograms of body weight…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Gakic Esad, from Borak, warden of the prison camp Musala.
2. Kelebic Ibrahim, from Konjic, deputy prison camp warden
3. Ljumic Keco, chief of police
4. Keco Junuz, commander of the detachment of military police in the camp
5. Podzic Selman, major in the Muslim army, who used to come to this camp and beat the prisoners.
6. Ramic Samir
7. Maksumic, a guard
8. Perusic Zijo from Zulje near Nevesinje, a guard
9. Catic, called “Juha”, a guard
10. Stranjak Esad, from Bakracusa near Nevesinje, a guard
11. Zelic, unit leader
12/ Prasta, from Gacko, a guard
13. Djulic Sanela, of father Ismet, from Stolac, a guard
14. Sljiva, a guard
15. Cole, from Foca, a guard
17. Dizdarevic, called “Pele”
Konjic – Celebici
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp of Celebici near Konjic, end of July and October 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: One of witness, testifies as follows:
“…I was captured on June 10, 1992 and on that same day transferred to the prison camp of Celebici where I remained until December 9, 1992.
During my detention in the prison camp of Celebici I was submitted to starvation and the cruelest physical torture. I arrived at the prison camp having 110 kilograms of body weight and went out of it with 64 kilograms of body weight. While speaking of starvation to which I was subjected, as an illustration I can state that for 54 days I did not have a bowl movement.
Just like most of the other inmates in this prison camp, I was every day beaten up. This was especially happening during the first three months, when they were beating us up day and nights, two or three times every day. As a consequence of physical abuse I have suffered a 60% damage to my liver and gall-bladder, 9 of my ribs were broken and I also received other serious injuries, so that according to the medical analysis, I am now a 70% invalid.
As far as i know, in the prison camp of Celebici 18 inmates were killed. I was personally present and was the eye-witness to the assassination of Sima Jovanovic from the village of Idbar, Ceda Avramovic from Celebici and Zeljko Klimenta from Konjic.
When I was brought to the prison camp of Celebici, I have spent the first three days in the manhole located in the courtyard of the prison camp, and from there I was transferred to the hangar “6”. Afterwards, because of the injuries inflicted upon me, I was transferred to the building called medical unit marked with a number “22” where the other injured inmates and sick prisoners were also located. In this building I remained some 22 days.
One day, some noise was heard in front of this building, and the inmate K. who was also there for treatment, looked through the keyhole and said “The president arrived”. When I heard these words I came to the keyhole and looked through it. I saw in front of this building three luxury cars and one jeep. Close to the middle car I saw standing Alija Izetbegovic surrounded with people from his security headed by Zejnel Delalic. Close to him were standing the commander of this prison camp Zdravko Mucic, called “Pavao” and others from the prison camp command. I am sure that this was Alija Izetbegovic, because I saw him many times on television and I certify that I have recognized him and his voice.
Alija Izetbegovic was being watched through the keyhole also by some others inmates of this building in the Celebici prison camp. Among the inmates in the prison camp there was a story that Alija Izetbegovic came to visit buildings in the prison camp premisses because these days from Split some military equipment was shipped there on board the trucks, weapons and ammunition.
About the visit of Alija Izetbegovic to the prison camp in Celebici more could be testified by person D. from Celebici, who told me that he had also personally seen Izetbegovic during his arrival to Celebici…”
By the end of July 1992, on an undetermined date, the other witness together with the other inmates of the Celebici prison camp, was forced in the prison camp courtyard to work for three days on unloading from trucks and trailers of ammunition and weapons, which were sent to the Muslim forces from abroad, through one of the Adriatic sea ports. Upon completed unloading the inmates were locked in the hangar and during that entire day they were not allowed to go out or the doors of the hangar were opened.
One of witness was told by the guard Zajko Camidzic that they were locked up on that day because the prison camp was visited, under very strong security, by the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina Alija Izetbegovic, who was visiting the ammunition storage and armament located in the prison camp.
One of witness a housewife, who was living in the vicinity of Konjic, testifies as follows:
“…My husband and I had a house in the hamlet of Mravinjac on the suburbs of the village of Celebici.
In the vicinity of my house in Celebici, Muslims had transformed the buildings of the former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) into a prison camp for Serbs. I could not see that prison camp from my house, but in the evening hours from time to time from the direction of the camp I could hear the screams, and I assume they were the screams of the inmates beaten by the guards.
In the immediate vicinity of my house, several summerhouses were built, among them the summerhouse of Sefko Elezovic, a former official in the Municipality of Hadzici, who was visited by Mirsad Catic from Bihac who was wounded.
I do not remember on what date I heard the children from the Muslim families shouting “There goes President!”. I looked in the direction of Jablanica and saw from that direction, in front of the summerhouses, passing Alija Izetbegovic. Around him were a large number of soldiers with green and red berets. Izetbegovic walked directly to the summerhouse of Sefko Elezovic in which was submitted to medical treatment Mirsad Catic. I also thought that Izetbegovic came to visit Catic because he was wounded. I am certain that it was Izetbegovic himself because I was watching him every day on television.
The doctor who was treating Mirsad Catic from time to time was coming to treat my mother-in-law and during one of her visits she told us that Alija Izetbegovic came for a short visit to Mirsad Catic. She also told me that he came to liberate Julo Prazina and Jovan Divljak who were captured by Croats, and that he had visited the prison camp…”
One of witness, driver from Celebici, born in 1938, testifies as follows:
“…I was born in Celebici, which was populated exclusively with Serbian population in the center of the village. In the immediate vicinity of my hamlet there was a military structure of the former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) which the Muslims, after the capture of Bradina, transformed into a prison camp for Serbs.
The center of this prison camp was at some 70 meters distance from my house and the entrance gate of the camp was at some 300 meters from my house.
The inmates were detained in hangars in the prison camp premises and one part of them was closed in the underground rooms. The prison camp was surrounded with a netting wire protected with barbed wire and from my house I could see every day what was happening in the prison camp. I have seen the guards torturing in different ways the inmates, beating them up and forcing them to drink their own urine, and I was also in the position both during the day and at night to hear the screams of inmates subjected to torture. In this prison camp there were also women.
Sometime in September of 1992 I went to my forest, which was at some 200 meters distance from my house, and then I saw a convoy of cargo vehicles with Split and Zagreb registration plates enter the prison camp.
On October 8, 1992 the prison camp was entered by three luxury cars and from the distance of some 60 meters from the spot in which I was located, I saw in the first of the cars Alija Izetbegovic. He was wearing a leather jacket and a green beret. At that moment I heard the comment of person M. “There goes Alija to the prison camp”.
The fact that I have seen Alija Izetbegovic go into the prison camp is the fact that I am ready to certify wherever necessary and I am certain that it was himself personally. In favor of this statement I am adding that Alija Izetbegovic also had a very strong escort with him…”
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Alija Izetbegovic, President of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, born in 1925 in Bosanski Samac, of father Mustafa and mother Hiba, born Cabija, before the war residing in Sarajevo at Hasana Kikica Stre
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Celebici, prison camp near Konjic, May-August 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness who was living with his family in Konjic, was arrested for the first time together with his wife and two children on May 13, 1992, by the Muslims from Sljivo family from the village of Dzepi, who were wearing camouflage uniforms with a HVO (Croat Defense Council) insignia. Then they took them to Celebici where the prison camp was opened in the hangars of the former Yugoslav People’s Army. They have spent there one day and as far as it can be determined, they were the first inmates in this prison camp for Serbs, which is to become notorious for its torture.
At that time the prison camp warden was Muralem Musinovic called “Rale” from Glavaticevo. The person in charge of interrogation was Jahic, a former lieutenant in the Yugoslav People’s Army.
After one day stay in this prison camp, at the orders of the HVO commander Zovko Zvonko, the witness was released with his family, but was kept in Brdjani under house arrest.
The witness lived in Brdjani until the middle of June 1992, when all the men were arrested again and taken to the Celebici prison camp. He remained in the camp until August 31, 1992 when he was transferred to another prison camp.
The witness A. states the following while describing his stay in Celebici:
“…First they would take away our personal belongings, gold, watches, then our clothes and money. Immediately they started beating us all together, some with boots, some with riffle butts…
The beatings were daily, and beating was done by people who would come from the streets to beat us, detained Serbs…”.
The prisoners, taken mostly in groups to the beating, were hit with wood bats, guns, baseball bats and everything else.
This witness was taken once for a staged execution by firing squad. They fired shots above his head.
The witness was placed in a hangar in which everyone slept on the concrete floor – at the beginning without a blanket, later with one blanket for two prisoners.
The food was irregular, and at times they would not be given any food for three days. Drinking water was not from the water tap, but it was industrial water, given in small quantities.
The witness is stating names of 15 detained Serbs who have perished in this prison camp, as the result of beating or assassination.
In the prison camp there were also women. The witness does not know what was the treatment of women but the guards were boasting that they had raped the imprisoned women. They have even offered some detained Serbs to do the same. Thus, Delic Hazim pointed out at one woman, while they were forced to bow in prayer, that she will be the 96th woman he had raped.
This witness has especially dramatically experienced an event when S.M., D.N and B were splashed with gasoline and set on fire, when their clothes caught fire and started to burn.
They forced brothers Dj. to put in each other’s mouth their sexual organs.
They were placing in the pants of some inmates a slow-burning fuse so that people suffered burns in the most intimate parts of the body.
Dj.M. had his tongue burnt with red-hot sword.
The outstanding cruelty was expressed especially by the deputy commander of the prison camp Delic Hazim, Landzo, Macic Esad, guards Padalovic, “Amerika”, Dedic and Focak.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Mucic Zdravko, called “Pavo”, prison camp warden
2. Zvonko Zovko, of father Petar from Podorasac, HVO commander in Konjic
3. Delic Hazim, of father Ibro, born in 1960 in Orahovica, deputy prison camp warden in Celebici
4. Landzo Esad, called “Zenga”, son of Nurka, born in 1970, prison camp guard
5. Macic Esad, called “Makaron”, born in 1960 in Konjic, guard commander in the camp
6. Padalovic Almir, from Buturovic Polje near Konic, some 20 years old, guard
7. “Amerika”, guard
8. Dedic called “Focak” from Rudo, guard
Metkovic
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Metkovic, prison camp in tobacco station, June 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness had spent 10 days in this prison camp controlled by the Croat Army. He was beaten every day, every two or three hours.
He was mostly beaten over hands and legs and over the entire body. Among othe, he was kicked in the leg and the wound was bleeding for one month.
Although he was arrested in Mostar, in the area of former Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he was also born and was working, the witness was with another 5 Serbs transferred to the territory of Croatia to this camp in Metkovici.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS;
1. Miho, chief of police
2. “Sizo” deputy chief of police
3. Lasic, from Mostar
4. “Tajson”
5. Luburic Damir, grand-son of Maks Luburic – war criminal from World War Two
6. Matic, major of the former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), who was interrogating captured Serbs.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Glusci near Metkovic, April-August 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Croat Army on April 21, 1992 surrounded the village of Glusci inhabited by Serbs and opened fire. Since no one in the village was offering resistance, they entered Glusci.
On this occasion the witness and other Serbs were beaten up. They collected from the villagers all the money and gold and took away the weapons for which Serbs had permits. They did not give any receipts for the taken goods.
The witness received summons, on St. George’s day his saint protectors day, together with another 17 Serbs to report to the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Metkovic. When they appeared upon summons, the 18 of them were taken to Split to the Military Court. They remained in the prison of Military Court until July 17, 1992. This witness was on July 17th taken to the District Penitentiary in Sibenik, where he remained until August 13, 1992.
In these prisons he was subjected to torture.
When he arrived to the prison in Split he had to hold hands on the wall for one hour, which was very tiring, and the witness fainted.
The witness was taken to the prison camp Kerestinec on August 13, 1992. From there he was transferred on August 14, 1992 to Nemetin near Osijek for exchange.
Medical commission established that the witness is 50% invalid as a consequence of suffered torture in prison camps.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Miro Bajo, commander of the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Metkovic
2. Vranjes, investigator in the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Metkovic
3. Tadic Josko, investigator in the Ministry of Interior in Metkovic
Tuzla
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Tuzla, Central Penitentiary, years 1992-1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness A. who was imprisoned in this penitentiary from June 1992 to July 1993 is stating the following:
“…The guards were telling us every day that we are going to be killed. We lived in constant fear for our lives. I have personally seen when from the other rooms of this prison they were taking out dead Serbs. I have seen at least 10 dead bodies of Serbs who have succumbed to the injuries from the beating. Serbs were especially at night taken to other premises and were there mercilessly beaten so that from these premises one could hear screams and wailing.
There was a talk in prison that Muslim soldiers were bringing in this prison the captured Serbian fighters and during the night in most cases they were dying from the inflicted injuries. After that they would take them out of the prison. I do not know whether those bodies that I have seen were the bodies of these fighters, but I only know that the guards were taking away the dead…”
The witness B. who was imprisoned in the Central Penitentiary of Tuzla from July 1992 until July 1993 is testifying as follows:
“…Very often and especially at night, the imprisoned Serbs would be beaten until they lost consciousness. In the Central Penitentiary of Tuzla the imprisoned Serbs were taken wrapped in blankets from the prison premises. I have seen five dead Serbs who were taken away after having died from injuries inflicted upon them by beating.
From the cells in which we were kept, we could hear the screams and wails, and when the doors would open we could see the guards taking away Serbs who have succumbed to their injuries. There was a talk that one group of captured Serbian fighters was brought and that during the night they have all succumbed to the injuries and were taken away the next day. I have seen only five bodies taken away. Whether they were the members of that group or not, I could not tell.
Terror over Serbs was especially hard in the middle of the year 1992…”.
“…Muslim soldiers on April 20, 1992 brought into the prison in Tuzla 9 captured Serbian soldiers. Among them were also two women. I heard and saw those soldiers terribly beaten – beating lasted the entire nights. And those two women were humiliated. They were forced to take off their cloths and then they were beaten…”
“…Every day we were taken for interrogation and were beaten during the procedure, we were being hit with all the available means: fists, legs with boots on, riffle butts, truncheons…
Since the food was extremely poor and beating was constant, I experienced a terrible weight loss and from 100 kilograms when they captured me, I had only 50 kilograms when I was exchanged.
During my stay in the Central Penitentiary in Tuzla I was taken to dig trenches on Majevica Mount. During every such taking out we were beaten. I excavated trenches during the combat actions. I was twice wounded there.
During my imprisonment in the Tuzla Penitentiary, a large number of imprisoned Serbs succumbed to the injuries. We could hear every evening when the Muslim soldiers were entering prison cells and were beating the detained Serbs. From these premisses screams and wails were heard and after the beatings from the inflicted injuries the dead ones were taken through the corridors…”
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Selimovic Bajazit, called “Baja” from Bratunac.
2. Mulalic Nedim, called “Crni” from Srebrenica
3. Landjer Davor, from Zivinice
4. Kanafa, member of the Muslim army, by origin from Papraca near Sehovici, who was employed before the war in the Transport Company Tuzla.
5. Markovic Toni, guard.
6. “Debeli Hari”, guard.
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Tuzla, Central Military Penitentiary, second half of 1992 and the year 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Various forms of torture were committed against the detained Serbs in this prison camp, as testified by the interrogated witnesses.
The witness A. testifies as follows:
“…Immediately upon my arrival to this prison in Tuzla, we were searched in detail and were ordered to walk along the corridor where on both sides were lined the Muslim soldiers who were mercilessly beating us as we were passing.
We were taken out several times per day for interrogation, because an investigation was filed against us. On this occasion, the guards were beating us without mercy and this lasted all the time during the investigating procedure. After the investigation was completed, we were taken to trial and I was sentenced to 8 years in prison. I do not have the verdict because it was taken away from me before I was exchanged.
After the sentence was pronounced, we were taken to dig trenches in the nearby places in the vicinity of Tuzla and on March 10, 1993, during digging of trenches and combat actions, which were taking place, I was wounded in the left upper arm. After the injury I was taken to the hospital in Tuzla and was kept there for some 15 days, then again returned to the Central Penitentiary. During the medical treatment, Muslim soldiers who were also treated in this hospital, would enter the room where I was and would threaten that they will cut my throat…”.
About his detention in the Central Penitentiary in Tuzla, the witness B. testifies as follows:
“…During the first days of my stay in the prison in Tuzla, I was taken out several times for interrogation and during every interrogation Muslim soldiers were beating me all over the body.
On one occasion some television crew came and was forcing me to admit that I am a Chetnick, to admit where the weapons were and similar…”.
The witness C. testifies as follows:
“…The terror over detained Serbs in Tuzla penitentiary especially in mid 1992 was extremely hard. They were taking us out every day and were beating us.
However, after the arrival of the International Red Cross beating was less frequent and mostly was taking place at night.
They were threatening all the time that they will kill us all and were humiliating us by saying that we are Chetnicks, swearing at our Chetnick mother.
The food was bad and scarce. They would give us once per day a slice of bread and 3-4 spoons of some cooked food. In this food there were vermin, so we could not eat.
When I was detained I had 105 kilograms and when I was exchanged I had only 75 kilograms of body weight.
The hygiene conditions were extremely bad. We would have a bath only once a month and this bath lasted only one to two minutes. We were not allowed to either shave or cut our hair and they would present us to the representatives of international organizations as Chetnicks…”.
The witness D. states as follows:
“…I was brought to Tuzla and detained in the Central Military Penitentiary, closed in a cell with another 20 Serbs. We were taken out very often and were always beaten. We were hit with truncheons and kicked with boots. Myself and other imprisoned Serbs were especially beaten by the policeman Bajazit Selimovic. He would let Muslim soldiers enter the cells and beat us senseless.
When I was arrested I had 102 kilograms and when I was exchanged I had only 58 kg. This is the proof of what was their treatment of us and how bad was the food.
In Tuzla penitentiary the practice was that the guard would take the prisoners out in the corridor and would force us to frog-leap, to do the push-ups, although we were exhausted and hungry. They would force us also to dance “kolo” dance, then to ‘pass driving exam’ which was as follows: they would order one prisoner to sit on the shoulders of another prisoner who would be squatting and to take him left and right as if the gear was changed in the vehicle. During all these actions, they would swear at our Serbian mother. In this especially zealous was Toni Markovic.
From the kicks, which were inflicted on me in this prison, I feel terrible pain in my chest, in the head and back. I have a poor sight of the right eye where I was hit. I had an operation on this eye in the ophthalmological hospital…”.
The witness E. who was detained in this penitentiary in Tuzla from October 1992 to July 1993 testifies as follows:
“…I was especially beaten during the night between October 5 and 6, 1992. Then they took me for interrogation and were kicking me with boots, truncheons and some wood, the four Muslims policemen who were guarding the prison. I do not know how long the beating lasted because I was unconscious and covered with blood, and when I regained consciousness I found myself in the room from which I was taken for questioning. In this prison they have broken 4 of my front teeth in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw…”.
The witness F. states as follows:
“I have spent full 10 months in the Military Penitentiary in Tuzla. During the first three months I was taken several times every day for interrogation and was always then beaten, mostly with truncheons. They were hitting me all over the body and were demanding my confession, but I could not confess what wasn’t the truth…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Selimovic Bajazit, called “Baja” from Bratunac
2. Mulalic Nadim, called “Crni” from Srebrenica
3. Lendjer Davor from Zivinice
4. “Kanafa” from Paprace near Sehovici, who was employed before the war in the Transport Company in Tuzla.
5. Markovic Toni, guard, from the vicinity of Tuzla
6. “Debeli Hari”, guard
7. Asmir, guard.
Banovici
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Banovici, neear Tuzla prison camp in the building of the Railway Traffic Directorate, middle of the year 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: During their internment in this prison camp in Banovici, Muslim and Croat soldiers very often and especially at night, were taking out the imprisoned Serbs and were beating them senseless.
Among those who were mostly tortured in this camp was also Cazis Drago. a retired policeman from Banovici who died after being released from prison from the injuries inflicted upon him there.
Witness A. states the following:
“…When they brought me to the prison camp located in the basement of the Railway Traffic Directorate building, we found there my cousin Cazic Drago who was arrested on June 25, 1992. He was lying immobile. His shirt was all bloody and thorn and over his chest was a wet towel. When he saw me he said: “Look what the beasts have done to me”. He was feeling cold and was shaking.
At some 20:00 hours on June 20, 1992 Cazic Drago was taken from prison to his home, unable to move. When he tried to get up in the morning, he fell and was taken to the hospital Gradina in Tuzla, where on July 5, 1992 he died from the consequences of the injuries inflicted upon him in prison…:.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Kadric Akif, chef of Secretariat of Interior Affairs in Banovici who personally took part in beating of detained Serbs.
2. Mrkonja Fikret, policeman from Banovici
3. Berbic Muradin, policeman from Banovici
4. Podzic, son of Omer, from Banovici
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Village of Banovici, near Banovici, prison camp in the primary school premisses, about June 10, 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In the prison camp located in the coal storage on the primary school “Ivan Goran Kovacic” premisses in the village of Banovici, the witness was present on June 6, 1992, when the following persons were arrested:
1. Ristic Dusan, some 32 years old, from the village of Lozna near Banovici, director of the Students Service of Banovici, and
2. Djuric, from the village of Lozna near Banovici, who lived in Banovici
On the third or the fourth day after being brought to this prison camp, the soldiers came who were at the battle front on the mountain of Vijenac. They called Ristic and Djuric and took them in from of the storage and started beating them.
Their cries could be heard and according to this witness, their cries were terrible. This lasted some 20 minutes. After that their voices were not heard any more.
The witness latter learnt that both of the above persons were killed that same evening and were immediately buried in the pit excavated by digging machines.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
A group of Muslim soldiers, among them one well developed girl from Zivinice.
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Banovici, prison camp in the Railway Transport Directorate, middle of 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: When the witness 283/95-15 was brought into this prison camp on June 15, 1992, he was placed in the cellar with another thirty detained Serbs from Banovici and vicinity. However, since they were bringing in new prisoners daily, in this prison camp sometimes there were up to 180 prisoners.
Beating of imprisoned Serbs was taking place every day and mostly at night between 21:00 and 05:00 hours, during the curfew. According to this witness, these were “the nights of long fear”. Since the space was limited, the inmates had to make space for those who were beaten up so that they may lie down.
The detained Serbs were interrogated in the manner that they would first say: “Talk!”, and then they would force them to admit that they have a radio station. Drunken men did the questioning as a rule and they would ask the prisoner if he has a car or brandy at home. If yes, they would take this away.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Kukic Mirsad, president of the SDA (Party of Democratic Action) in Banovici
2. Atif, chief in the Secretariat for Interior Affairs
3. Esen, called “Nafaka”, before the war employed in “Helios” in Banovici, commander in the prison camp.
4. Colic from Omazlic, guard, before the war employed in a bakery.
5. Kajtaz, guard in the ZNG (Croat National Guard) uniform
6. “Mrkonja”, before the war train-driver from Omazlic, guard
Zenica
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Zenica, May 1992 – October 1993
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: When the witness was arrested in his house, and having a private butcher shop was a wealthy man, they took from him DEM 25,000, two passenger cars and one freight vehicle. Together with the other expropriated assets, the witness was damaged for a total of one million DEM.
First he was detained in the Penitentiary in Zenica, accused of serving in the enemy army although this witness was never a member of any military formation. While the witness during the trial demanded from the president of judicial council Zaib Kovac for his expropriated money and assets to be returned, the president of judicial council insisted that the witness signs a consent for giving this money as a donation to the Muslim army. Since the witness refused to do so, the judge told him that he will never go out of jail.
The witness remained in prison until October 9, 1993 when he was exchanged and nothing from his expropriated property was ever returned.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Kovac Zaib, judge and other members of the authorities in Zenica
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Villages of Mutnica, Gornja Vraca, Perin Han, Raspotocje, Drivusa and Janicko vrh in the Municipality of Zenica, June 5, 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In the early morning of June 5, 1992 strong Muslim forces armed with tanks, cannons, anti-aircraft guns, mortar launchers, machine-guns and riffles, suddenly attacked the following villages in the vicinity of Zenica, populated with Serbian inhabitants: Mutnica, Lokve, Gornja Vraca, Perin Han, Raspotocje, Drivusa and Janicki vrh.
The cause for this attack were the alleged claims that Serbs in these villages were armed (which is denied by the testifying witness). The aim was actually to have as many Serbs killed as possible, to have their houses destroyed and the remaining population expelled from this area.
According to the testimony of this witness, who was an eyewitness to this event, Muslims killed some 10 Serbs and wounded a large number of others.
Serbs during the attack were asking through an intermediary, for the Muslims to stop the attack saying that they will all be killed, which the Muslims accepted after two hours of an even stronger fire. Muslims demanded for all male Serbs from the stated villages to gather in certain points, to check that they are not armed. Then they said that men should give some sort of statement while they are searching the villages, and that then they will be released and free to go home. However, they gathered men and took them to the penitentiary in Zenica.
Muslim authorities through this action almost completely ethnically cleansed this area from Serbs.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Sisic Siradj, from the vicinity of Zenica, during the attack was commanding the Muslim armed forces on the right-hand bank of Bosna river.
2. Kelestura, name unknown, Muslim, by birth from the village of Gornja Vraca, former officer in the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army), commanded the Muslim armed forces on the left-hand bank of Bosna river.
3. Beslo Mujcin, commander of military police of the city of Zenica, and
4. Boncina Branko, Slovenian by origin, commander of the city and of the Territorial defense of Zenica.
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the village of Tetovo in the primary school “Hasan Kikic”, near Zenica, on June 16, 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: On the day of June 16, 1992 at some 06:30 hours members of the Patriotic League composed of Muslims and anti-diversion detachment of the Territorial Defense composed of Muslims and Croats, made search and arrests of Serbs in the village of Bukovica.
On this occasion they arrested
1. Bozic Andjelko, born in 1949
with his two sons and they were taken to the village of Tetovo where in the primary school “Hasan Kikic” they started beating them. On this occasion they were competing as to who will inflict upon them more blows.
They were beating the victims with truncheons, electric cables and riffle butts.
Bozic died around 18:00 hours from the inflicted wounds and broken spine. His body was taken out of the school and driven to Zenica.
One of his sons on that occasion suffered two broken ribs on both sides, and the other son had five broken ribs, fracture of the thoracic cartilage and fracture of the left leg tibia.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Saric Jasmin, before the war, an active captain in the Yugoslav People’s Army from Zenica
2. Kovac Hasan from Gradiste
3. Kovac Kemal from Gradiste
4. Kovac Ziad from Gradiste
5. Kovac Mirsad from Gradiste
6. Kovac Muharem from Gradiste
7. Kovac Omer from Gradiste
8. Gak Hasim from Gradiste
9. Gak Cazim from Gradiste
Kladanj
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND CRIME: Village of Stupari near Kladanj, prison camp in the school, June 1992 up to March 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Members of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 9, 1992 attacked the village of Lupoglavo in the Municipality of Kladanj, where 44 Serbian families were living. They succeeded in capturing 24 persons and sent them to the prison camp for Serbs in Stupari, which was located in the school buildings. In this prison camp there was even up to 100 detained Serbs.
Inmates in this prison camp were subjected to physical torture, beating and abuse. Among other, they were forced continuously to look at the sun, from which action the testifying witness used to faint. Some inmates were taken to the Secretariat of Interior Affairs in Kladanj from where they were returned beaten up, so that they could not move for even five days. From these tortures died Kucalovic Vladimir from Obrcevac, Municipality of Kladanj.
The prison camp command presented his death as hanging on the doorknob which is completely illogical, since both his arms were previously broken.
The witness was forced to hit his head on the pile of cut timber from which act had head injuries and headaches.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Veizovic Zijad, prison camp commander who was before the war a sergeant in the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA)
2. Veizovic Kahro, commander of military police forces
Sarajevo
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Sarajevo, fifth flour of the Central Penitentiary, September-October 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION; The witness is estimating that during his stay in this prison, on the fifth floor of this penitentiary there were some 140 male Serbs detained and 6 women.
This witness noticed that guards would from time to time bring women to the fifth floor of the Central Penitentiary. These were Serbian women living in Sarajevo and they were not imprisoned, but were brought by the guards for their sexual pleasure.
This witness was once forced to watch several guards raping a 14 year old girl, whose name was known to the witness.
Also the rape was done of S. some 48 years old who on one occasion told this personally to this witness, R.N. and several other women.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Sobo Meho, warden of the Central Penitentiary
2. Osmanbegovic Esad, who replaced Sobo as warden
3. Sarija Miralem, guard
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Sarajevo, prison camp in the former JNA barracks “Viktor Bubanj”, October 1993-March 1994
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: This witness was detained in this prison camp while the prosecution proceedings were taking place against him for avoiding military service.
In the same camp besides the detained Serbs, there was also a group of Muslims, members of the 10th Mountain Brigade, arrested on charges of armed rebellion. However, with the permission of the prison warden they could freely abuse the detained Serbs and torture them.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS;
1. Dolan Himzo, prison warden
2. Junuzovic Sakib, guard commander, both of them were taking prisoners and beating them in their offices
3-4. Brothers Baltic, one of them called “Vetila”, guard
5. Hajdarevic Rifat, called “Role”, guard
6. Seferovic Samir, called “Ceble” from Sarajevo, some 30 years old. Before the war employed in the enterprise “Neretva” in Sarajevo, was the commander of the 10th Mountain Brigade of the so-called Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was imprisoned in the prison “Viktor Bubanj” on charges of having killed six Serbs but was not convicted.
7. Hasic Enes, called “Zela”, before the war was a taxi driver, one of the commanders in the 10th Mountain Brigade, was under investigation in the prison “Viktor Bubanj”
8. Topalovic Dzemo, one of the commanders of the 10th Mountain Brigade, before the war was a welder in the company “Unioninvest” in Sarajevo”.
9. Colak Vetik, some 22-23 years old, before the war, a criminal
10. Delalic Ramiz, called “Celo”, commander of the 9th Mountain Brigade, who killed the man in the wedding party in Bas Carskija-Sarajevo.
11. Ziga, one of the commanders of the 9th Mountain Brigade – all of them, from the item number 6 to 11 were prisoners, but were torturing Serbs
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Sarajevo, prison camp “Ramiz Salcin” in the former barracks “Viktor Bubanj”, July 1992 – October 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The detained Serbs during their stay in this camp were exposed to terrible torture. Every day they were beaten with rubber truncheons, kicked with boots and beaten in all parts of the body.
The witness, because of extremely hard conditions of life in this prison camp for five months of stay lost weight from 112 kilograms to 56, his hair fell off and he was bed-ridden unable to move for three months.
According to the knowledge of this witness, in this prison camp in this period the following imprisoned Serbs were killed or died from beating and starvation:
1. Guslov (or Guslav) Trivo from Sarajevo, died immediately after being released from prison camp, in 1992, from the consequences of injuries inflicted upon him in the prison camp.
2. Draskovic Novo from Sarajevo
3. Zerajic Bozo from Nevesinje, who was residing in Sarajevo.
4. Marinkovic Radivoje, who died of injuries in the hospital where he was transferred.
5. Matic Slobodan, a foreman from Sarajevo.
6. Micic, who was brought into this prison camp on July 29, 1992 already beaten and who died after one hour.
7. Misic Milan
8. Novakovic Dusko, from Vogosca
9. Odzakovic Nedeljko, from Velesic, residing at Adama Buce Street.
10. Ponjarac Novica, from Vasin Han – Sarajevo, killed immediately after being released from this prison camp.
11. Radojcic Manojlo, from the village of Kisa near Nevesinje, who lived in Sarajevo.
12. Rajevac, major, who died when they withheld his medicaments which he had to take for his heart condition.
13. Rakanovic Uros, from Doglade near Sarajevo, some 50 years old.
14. Tizic Vukasin
15. Ceranic Mato, from Obalj near Kalinovik, who was taken before he died, in a blanket to attend trial.
16. Cajevic Zoran, some 32 years old, by origin from Foca, who was working in Sarajevo and who was taken from the cell 12 by the prison camp warden Mujic Ramic, by origin from Foca – according to the assumption of the witness 604/95, he was killed in retaliation for the death of Mujic’s brother-in-law.
17. Cajevic Ognjen, taken from the cell on November 7, 1992 and never returned.
18. Sipovac Novica from Nevesinje, who lived in Sarajevo.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Bajramovic Ismet, called “Celo”, born on April 24, 1966 in Sarajevo, prison camp warden.
2. Spajic Basim, prison camp warden
3. Mujic Ramiz, policeman from Foca, deputy prison camp warden
4. Dolan Himzo, former sergant of the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), successor of Spajic at the duty of the warden
5. Dautovic Kemo from Sarajevo, a guard, before the war employed in “Zrak” factory.
6. “Fad”, guard, a Skypetar (Kosovo Albanian)
7. Mosovic, called “Struja”, guard
8. Custovic, called “Spico”, guard
9. “Ventila”, guard
10. “Colonel”
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Hrasnica, near Sarajevo, prison camp in the cellar of an uncompleted residential building, years 1992-1994.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In this prison camp in which up to a hundred Serbs were detained, the inmates were exposed to terrible torture. From the consequences of inflicted injuries the following persons have died:
1. Sojic (or Solic) Maksim from Borac, who was living in Hrasnica and working in “Famos”.
2. Cosovic Slobodan, born in 1960 – the witness has exhumed his body and another three corpses for exchange.
3. Vasovic Vito from Serbia, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica.
4. Draskovic from Kalinovik, who died from beating by Gadzo Senad.
5. Stojanovic, who was also killed during beating inflicted by Gadzo Senad.
6. NN, killed by beating by Gadzo Senad.
7. Kovacevic Momcilo from Gacko, died while digging trenches.
The witness A. is stating the following:
“…In spring of 1993 Solic Maksim worker in “Famos” was taken to the police station in Hrasnica.
He was taken in the evening and the day after the police announced that he died in the police station from a heart attack.
From my friend who was in prison, I learnt that Solic was beaten and that he died from injuries and not from a heart attack…”
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Okeric Rasim, before the war a teacher from Gacko, prison camp warden.
2. Gadzo Senad from Gacko, guard
3. Culiman Dzemo, in charge of liquidation of inmates
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Hrasnica near Sarajevo, prison camp in the cellar of the skyscraper building underneath the Muslim police station, year 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In this prison camp for Serbs, the following persons have died from injuries inflicted upon them by beating:
1. Milutinovic Dostimir, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica.
2. Milutinovic Radomir, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica.
3. Stefanovic Gojko, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica.
4. Stramputa Aleksa, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica
5. Guzina Radovac, retired, some 90 years old.
6. Govedarica Radoslav, from Gacko, who was working in “Famos” in Hrasnica.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Huso from Montenegro, prison warden
2. Sabovic Amir from Hrasnica, police officer
3. Agan Nezir, from Ilidza, interrogation officer
4. Sutalo Pero from Sarajevo
5. Dzemo from Gorazde, guard
6. Enver from Montenero, guard
7. Zaim, guard.
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Sarajevo, prison camp Sunce in the residential district of Dobrinja, in the command of the 5th Motorized Brigade of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 18, 1992 between 19:00 and 19:30 hours.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In one room of the prison “Sunce” (Sun) there were 33 detained Serbs when the room was entered by Muharem Mazit whose brother Hilmo was killed these days. Before the war, he had in a traffic accident killed five persons in Nedzarici and was sentenced to several years of imprisonment. At the very beginning of the war, however, he was pardoned and joined the forces of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Muharem started shooting at the inmates. Not succeeding, however, in killing all the 33 of them in that room, the guards Mavric Sefko and Dusica Nermin were firing shot in the heads of the survivors so that there will be no witnesses left.
Then the bodies were burnt and buried in a mass pit.
Muslims have afterwards announced that Muharem Mezit was killed from the sniper hit, but from the behavior of his mother it may be concluded that he is still alive.
On this occasion, among others, the following persons were also killed:
1. Gasic Petar, of father Antonije, born on July 24, 1948 in Prnjavor, and his son.
2. Gasic Oliver, of father Petar, born on September 20, 1971 in Kovin.
3. Pejovic Momo, born in 1950 in Sarajevo
4. Saric Nedeljko, who was residing in Sarajevo at Franca Rozmana Street.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Mezit Muharem
2. Dusnica Nermin, guard in the prison camp “Sunce” now commander of the military police.
3. Mavric Sefko, guard in the prison camp “Sunce”
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Hrasnica, near Sarajevo, prison camp in the basement of an apartment building, still under construction, 1992-1994.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: All of the three testifying witnesses who were detained in this prison camp, were living in Ilidza or Hrasnica and were arrested and brought as civilians into this prison camp.
The witness A. testifies as follows:
“…I was arrested in December 1992 and from the police station in Sokolovic colony was brought to a cellar of an uncompleted apartment building. In this basement was the prison camp controlled by the Muslim army. I remained in this prison camp until February 1994. During the first seven days I was in solitary confinement.
I can freely say that myself and the others were beaten every day, because we were beaten by soldiers, police and civilians. Everyone was free to beat the Chetnicks, as they called us. Later on I was taken to labor. We were mostly doing heavy physical labor: digging trenches, cleaning garbage.
I will never forget December 26, 1992 when I was taken to the office of Rasim Okeric, prison warden. He was interrogating me one hour and a half. During that time one policeman standing behind me was hitting me with a truncheon, while another two guards standing by my sides were kicking me in the legs.
That same evening, the guards Sejo Corbo, Radoncic Redzep, Paso and Dzemo came and continued to beat me. My head was all cut from the strikes, they were hitting me with boots, fists, truncheons, on the edge of tables and against the walls. I am sure that then one and a half liter of my blood was spilled.
Afterwards, for ten days I was not taken for labor. Together with all this, I was tortured by hunger, because we were given food only once per day – a piece of bread and some soup, refuse. It used to happen that for two days in a row we would not receive anything to eat.
In the cells we were sleeping on bare concrete.
They asked us whether we would convert into Islam. They were telling us that Islam will be the only religion to remain in the world and they were forcing us to kneel, to lower our heads to the floor and would force our heads in mud. The one who would not do that would be hit with a riffle but in the back.
In this camp also women were detained. They were also beaten and we could hear their screams. Women would be crying and I think that they were raped.
International Red Cross recorded me only in spring of 1993…”.
The witness B. who is 64 years old, has spent 15 months in this prison camp, and he testifies as follows:
“…I was arrested in April 1993 as a civilian in my own house in Sokolovic colony. Prior to my arrest, my house was searched 13 times. I was detained in the basement of an uncompleted apartment building. When I was brought there in April 1993, there were some 70 other detained Serbs and 4 women.
I was beaten as soon as I was brought into this prison camp.
I was placed in a room size 2.5 m x 2 meters. We were five in that room. We were sleeping on bare concrete and had only two blankets. Food was bad. We were given food twice a day. There were lice. During the first 6 months I lost 25 kilograms of body weight and from 85 kilograms came down to 60 kilograms.
International Red Cross recorded me only after six months.
I was not tried and during the 15 months that I have spent in this prison camp I was questioned only once, under charges that I was keeping arms which they did not find although my house was searched 13 times.
Directly from this prison camp I was exchanged in July 1994…”.
The witness C. who was 67 years old at that time, testifies as follows:
“…In November 1992 I was transferred to the prison camp in the basement of an unfinished apartment building in Hrasnica. We were given food only once in 24 hours – a slice of bread the size of a match-box, a bit of tea or soup and were sleeping on bare concrete with one blanket.
When on April 3, 1993 the International Red Cross came, they improved our stay by giving us some floorboards and a blanket.
In this prison camp there were lice, a real pest for us, inmates. We could not get rid of them…”.
This witness remained in the prison camp until March 1994.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS;
1. Zijad, before the war warden of the Penitentiary Butmir, prison camp warden
2. Okeric Rasim, before the war a teacher, from Gacko, warden
3. Corbo Sejo, from Borac near Gacko, guard
4. Radoncic Pedzep, from ilidza, guard
5. Paso, from Gorazde, guard
6. Dzemo, from Gorazde, guard
7. Gadzo Senad, from Borac, near Gacko, guard
8. Hebib Suljo, guard
9. Loncaric, from Borac near Gacko, guard
10. Enver, from Montenegro, had a house in Sokolovic collony, guard
11. Radoncic Zaim, guard
12. Sejo, from Ilidza, guard
13. Pidzuga, guard
14. Djuliman Dzemo, in charge of liquidation of inmates.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Hrasnica near Sarajevo, prison camp in the basement of a high-rise building, underneath the Muslim police station, August-November 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness was arrested in his apartment in Hrasnica after the search for arms and a radio-station, which the witness did not have. Then he was taken to this prison camp located in the building in which was also the police station. After he was brought to the prison camp, Agan Nezir from Ilidza, who was a policeman before the war, interrogated him. While he was interrogated, one tall young man hit him on the head by Sutalo Pero and on the legs. This first questioning lasted 3-4 hours, and Sutalo threatened to shoot him as an Ustashi.
The witness was placed in a cell located in the basement in which he remained for three months. The witness is listing the names of 13 Serbs who were together with him in this prison, as well as the names of 35 of those who were brought in from Tarcin.
In this prison camp they received food only once per day and this consisted of a slice of bread, the size of a matchbox a bit of tea or soup. They slept on bare concrete with one blanket.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Huso from Montenegro, the warden
2. Sabovic Amir, from Hrasnica, superior police officer
3. Agan Nezir, from Ilidza, investigating inspector, before the war was a policeman.
4. Sutalo Pero, a Croat from Sarajevo
5. Dzemo from Gorazde, guard
6. Enver from Montenegro, guard
7. Zaim, guard
Mostar
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Mostar, prison camp at the Faculty of Law, June 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: After he was arrested by the HVO (Croat Defense Council) police in his apartment, this witness was taken to the Faculty of Law building in Mostar. There he was interrogated for one hour and asked whether he has a gun and ammunition and where was his son.
After interrogation, in the room in which he was, entered a group of some 20 policemen of the HVO and started beating him with truncheons and legs all over the body. The beating lasted about one hour.
The witness was then taken to the basement room where the floor was covered with water which was reaching up to the witness’s ankles. There they took off all of his clothes, placed the handcuffs on his right wrist and the other end attached to the iron bar attached to the ceiling. They left him to hang in this position for several hours.
While he was suspended to the ceiling, the HVO (Croat Defense Council) policemen were beating him from time to time.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Dzidic, prison camp warden
2. Pusic Berislav, called “Berko”
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp on the premisses of the spinning mill “Djuro Salaj” in Svinjarine, in Podvelezje near Mostar, June 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Three members of Serbian nationality, who tried to escape into the Serbian territory, were arrested by the armed Muslims in Podvelezje. Then they were taken to the village of Svinjarina, to the prison camp located on the premisses of the textile plant spinning mill. They remained in this camp for 7-8 days.
During this time they were every day beaten for two to three hours. They were beaten all over the body, by kicking feet, riffle butts and every thing else.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Boskailo Ramo, prison camp warden, member of the HVO, before the war employed in Mostar police forces.
2. Kazazic Joja, from Mostar, before the war employed at the petrol station, member of the HVO
3. Drljevic, son of “Beli” from Carine – Mostar, prison camp guard
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Mostar, prison camp Celovina in Santiceva Street 27, a former District Penitentiary, May-October 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A. witness is testify:
“…On one occasion the prison camp warden Nikolic Pero, when we asked him why are we detained in the prison camp since we were not interrogated, told us that we are in the prison camp only because we are Serbs…”.
B. witness states as follows:
“…Some twenty days before the exchange, on August 18, 1992, I was taken to the Faculty of Economics for questioning. While I was taken there I was beaten with iron bar. They did the same to me at the Faculty of Economics, and also when they returned me back to the Celovina prison camp. They were beating me all the time with that iron bar, so that the prison doctor told me that my pleura is ruptured…”
C. witness testifies as follows:
“…I was detained in Celovina with another 5 women. We were not beaten, but were threatened that we will be killed and raped, so we were living in constant fear. They brought into our room P.M. who was beaten up and she told us that she was raped.
During detention in this prison camp the imprisoned Serbs did not receive any decree on detention…”.
D. witness states as follows:
“…one women was beaten in prison and she died…”.
E. witness testifies as follows:
“…While we were in the rooms I was not beaten, but we were beaten on our way to labor outside of the camp. We were beaten by the members of the HVO (Croat Defense Council) while we were working. They were beating us with riffle butts, fists, feet. We were working on cleaning of the buildings, construction, we were transporting bags for bunkers at night, bags of sand. Bunkers were constructed in Hum, Dracevac, Podvelezje, Aleksin Han and Stjepan-kula. From the injuries which I suffered I had bruises over the body and now my hearing is not good.
In Celovina, they were especially beating members of our army whom they have captured. We could hear screams and wails while they were beaten. The captured soldiers were forced to sing the Ustashi songs all day long. While I was detained in this prison, one man and one woman were taken dead out of it. They were from Mostar, but I do not know their names…”.
F. witness testifies as follows:
“…It was terrible to listen to the screams and wails of men who were beaten in the rooms above us. Men had to sing the Ustashi songs. While I was in Celovina, one women died in prison. Her name was Sefiba Rajevic and she was a Muslim, charged with collaboration with Serbs…”.
“…There was not a single day in this prison camp when they did not beat us. They were hitting us with truncheons, iron rods, boots and fists all over the body. I had five fractured ribs and lost 12 teeth. I was taken with other Serbs from Celovina prison to labor. The ten of us were taken to Rastane. We had to clean two Serbian houses entirely for one day only, and when houses were stripped of everything, we had to stock neatly the taken construction elements. Everything, to the lats nail, had to be piled in order. In Rodoc we were cleaning military buildings and in Podvelezje we were transporting sand and beams into their bunkers. Whoever was not able to carry sand, was beaten. Once when J.S. could not carry the sand bag, he was forced to lie down naked on hot asphalt and they covered him with five blankets and was he left to sweat. This asphalt was so hot that you could not stand on it…”.
Most of the prisoners were recorded by the International Red Cross.
The witness C. was brought into this HVO prison camp together with her mother and brother. When she arrived, in Celovina prison camp there were 10 women and later there were some 80 of them.
The witness was slapped on the face in this prison camp and was insulted by the HVO members. Women were taken to work, and this witness was working on cleaning of the heliodrom in Jasenice.
The witness quotes the name of the woman who was raped in this camp.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Nikolic Pero, before the war director of Plastika, Celovici prison camp warden.
2. Peko Ante, prison warden from Jar near Listice
3. Puce Nikola, commander
4. Praljak Josip, commander
5. Buhovac Ante, from Krusevo, guard
6. Mario, from Krusevo, guard
7. Petrinja, from Ljuti Dolac, guard
8. Mucic Zubor, from Luti near Konjic, guard
9. Zelenika Mladen, guard
10. Kapetanovic Gavro, guard
11. Huso, from Gorazde, guard
12. Coric Viktor, from Jasenica near Mostar, guard
13. Kljako Senad, from Nevesinje
14. Tiro Murat, guard
15. Roksa Velija from Gacko, guard
16. Ramic Ibrahim, some 30 years old, guard
17. Tojaga Zijo, from Pijesci, guard
18. Zubar, from the vicinity of Konjic, guard
19. Puljic, from Hodbine near Buna, guard
20. Kajan, from Blagaj
21. Skender
22. Zeljko from Mostar
Designation of crime: Violation of Geneva Conventions from 1949 (Article 2. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp Kocine near Mostar, November 1994
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Members of the 42nd Brigade of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina on November 11, 1994 captured this witness with another three soldiers of the Republic of Srpska Army in the region of Vranjevici.
At the orders of the major of the Muslim army Selman Podzic to beat the captured Serbs, soldiers started beating them with truncheons, pistols and boxers.
All the four of them were taken to the prison in Kocine near Mostar, which was a brigade prison. On the first day of imprisonment the interrogation lasted continuously, without break, the entire day and entire night. On this occasion all the four of them were brutally beaten. The witness 454/95-15 had his nose bone broken then.
The prison guards were forcing inmates to run bare-footed across the glass. When they were once taken from this prison for interrogation in Blagaj to Ramiz Drekovic, the commander of the corps, all along the way they were beaten with truncheons.
They remained in this prison for six days.
One of witness testifies as follows:
“…I was captured on November 11, 1994 in Vranjevici and was beaten together with other prisoners with riffle butts…On the way, we were beaten in one garage for one hour and a half. They set my left ear on fire, poured boiling tea over me and scratched my face. Then they closed me with the others in the prison in the village of Kocine, where we remained for six days.
With another three prisoners I was placed in a room size 1 x 2 meters…
During that time I was interrogated and beaten. They were beating me with boots, so that from one blow my jaw was fractured…”
INDICATION CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Husovic Salko, by origin from Nevesinje, warden of the prison in Kocine
2. Dizdarevic called “Pele”, before the war employed in the criminal investigations service in Sarajevo, inspector.
3. Tufek, guard, before the war a taxi-driver in Konjic
4. Dragan, a Muslim, prison guard.
Brcko
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME; Boce near Brcko, prison camp in the primary school building, September-October 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The testifying witnesses were captured in Bukvik on September 14, 1992 together with a larger group of civilians from this and the neighboring Serbian villages. Having spent two days in the prison camp in Gornji Rahic, in the school building, they were transferred to the Croat village of Boce and placed in the premisses of the primary school building, which was transformed into a prison camp for Serbs.
While the witness 617/95-16 was being on the floor of the primary school building during the night between September 17 and 18, 1992 with two small children and her mother-in-law, one woman entered with a strong flash-lamp. She pointed the light towards the women lying on the floor and soon left.
Immediately afterwards, a Croat soldier in uniform entered and called upon this witness to come out of the room. She started crying, having a premonition of what may happen to her. The soldier grabbed her hand and by force pulled her out of the room, in which her crying children remained. Her daughter was having a high fever.
He took her to the corridor and started insulting her saying that she is Serbian trash, then ordered her to lie on the floor. Another Croat soldier came and started pulling her clothes off, placing the barrel of his weapon in her mouth, threatening that she must neither make a sound nor cry. Then he raped her. After that the another soldier also raped her, then the third one who arrived in the meantime.
They threatened her not to say a word of this to anyone, because otherwise they will bring another seven soldiers to rape her.
The witness 617/95-33 was also at the same time in the prison camp in Boca in the primary school. She is stating that in this school at that time there were some 90 women imprisoned and children and that they were all detained in only two rooms. She confirms that late in the evening a Croat soldier came into the room, carrying a strong flash-light and ordered the witness 617/95-16 to come with him, that she started crying and that her children were crying. She also stated that her mother-in-law was also there. Since she did not wish to go, soldier grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out of the room.
On that same night another three younger women were also taken out, and the witness is stating their names.
On the next day the witness learnt that all the four of these women were raped that night.
The witness remained in this camp for five weeks, afterwards she was exchanged.
During detention in this prison camp food was received from time to time and it was extremely bad in quality, so the children were screaming daily from hunger asking for bread. Mothers could not give them anything because they had nothing to give.
Croat soldiers who were guarding them were swearing at them every day, mentioning their Serbian and Chetnick mothers threatening to kill them all. During every of their passage before prisoners they would turn the barrels of arms towards the inmates which was causing great fear among the detainee.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
Fatima, Fata, before the war employed as waitress in Boce in the coffee-shop “Tromedja”, owned by Dilberovic Pero from Boce; she organized the rapes in Boce.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND CRIME: Prison camp in the abandoned Serbian houses in Gornji Zovik, near Brcko, September-October 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A large group of women with children and aged Serbian civilians from the villages in the vicinity of Brcko, mainly from the area of the local community of Bukvik was transferred from the prison camp in Gornji Rahic, where it has spent a short time, to the Croat village of Gornji Zovik and detained in houses of the exiled Serbs.
They were kept in this prison camp from 15 days to two months.
The majority of the testifying witnesses were detained in one house where they were kept together, the 23 women. During their detention the Croat soldiers who were daily insulting them, swearing at them and threatening them that they will kill them all guarded them.
They were given food once per day and it consisted of a piece of bread and a few spoons of mostly rice.
During the stay in this prison camp, detained Serbs were forced to listen to the Radio Zagreb or Radio Sarajevo programs.
While they were in Zovik, Croat and Muslim soldiers were beating some of the detained Serbs with boots, fists and truncheons.
They were taking them to dig trenches and canals in Donja Dubravica and Vranovaca.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Fazlagic Jasmina, who was working before the war in the Ministry of Interior of Brcko
2. Members of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PL;ACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the building-material storage in Gornji Zovik near Brcko, September-November 1992
BRIEF DESCRIPTION; In the Croat village of Zovik a prison camp was located in the building material storage called “Miletovo skladiste” (Mile’s storage). This was the space fenced off with barbed wire. During his detention of 53 days in Zovik, this witness was taken out individually as well as other detained Serbs for beating.
One night this witness and his cousin, uncle’s son, were taken out, the uncle’s son’s hair was cut off and then he was forced to swallow it.
The detained Serbs were insulted every day, their mothers mentioned and were threatened that they will all be killed.
They were sleeping in the shed on the floor on top of some hay.
The food in the camp was extremely bad and given in small quantities.
Detained Serbs were taken out every day and individually beaten with boots, fists and truncheons.
Some of them were taken for trench digging in the villages of Donja Dubravica and Vranovaca. They also had to go to the Serbian villages, which were abandoned, and to take out objects from the houses, which the soldiers were taking away.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Members of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the primary school building in Gornji Rahic near Brcko, September 1992 – March 1993
BRIEF DESCRIPTION; In this prison camp mostly Serbian civilians were detained among them a large number of women with children from the area of the local community of Bukvik and other villages in the region of the Municipality of Brcko.
The witness A. is testifying as follows:
“…I think it was September 15, 1992 when they took me to the Muslim village of Gornji Rahic. There they searched us naked and took all of our personal possessions, jewelry and money that we had with us. They ordered us to line up against the wall and take off all of our clothes, and then they searched our clothes and took away everything that they found. All this time they were swearing at us, mentioning our Serbian and Chetnick mother and saying that we shall all be killed. The Muslim woman Jasna Fazlagic searched us. She had with her another Muslim soldier. They found that I have hidden DEM 8,000 and this soldier swore at me and my Serbian mother and asked me what did I needed this money for. I told him that I was keeping it for my old age and then he said: “You will not need it, and neither will the other Serbs need any money because you will all be killed”.
The witness B. states as follows:
“…in Gornji Rahic we were detained in the premisses of the school, in the sports hall. There I found a group of imprisoned Serbs, some 200 of them.
When Nijaz noticed me, who was working before the war at the cattle market, and who was now in a uniform bearing the insignia of the “Green Berets”, he came to me swearing at my Serbian mother and threatened to kill me. He took out a knife and aimed. But another Muslim soldier stopped him.
In the prison camp of Gornji Rahic I was detained for 35 days…”.
The witness C. states as follows:
“…I was taken with one group to the primary school building and detained in one classroom. Children were also brought there, aged men and women. During our arrival they would take away all our money, all personal belongings and gold, which we had, and then they would separate women and children.
During the expropriation of our belongings, Muslim and Croat soldiers would mercilessly beat us with fists, boots, riffle butts and other objects…”.
The witness D. states as follows:
“…I was brought to Gornji Rahic and imprisoned in the sports hall of the primary school. In this hall there were another 400 arrested Serbs from the area of the local community of Bukvik, only men.
I remained in this prison camp from September 15 to December 1, 1992. Croat and Muslim soldiers were not treating us correctly. They were calling us Chetnicks and were swearing at our Serbian mothers, threatening that we shall all be killed and that there is no life for us in this area.
Immediately after being brought into the sports hall, the police started taking out Serbs into our premisses, individually or in groups. From these premisses we could hear screaming and wails because they were beaten there. When they were returning I saw that they were injured. Some were covered with blood.
Some detainee would be taken several times per day and even more frequently by night to be beaten.
On the floor of the sports hall we were sleeping on top of some hay and we would receive food once per day and sometimes twice, but in very small quantities.
The hygiene was very bad. We were neither allowed to shave nor to cut our hair…”.
The witness E. states as following:
“…When I was taken to the prison camp located in the primary school building in Rahic, I found there another 61 Serbs: from the 3 year old child up to the old men and the old women of 70 years. There were both men and women in that camp.
We were placed in classrooms because the sports hall was already full – there were 260 persons there. Upon arrival, they would separate women and children from men. Immediately after confinement, Croat and Muslim soldiers came and started hitting interrogating and us. They were kicking us with boots, fists, truncheons, pieces of plastic tubes, riffle butts, knife handles and pistols and other objects. They would take us out individually, and most often at night, and would beat us senseless.
The second or third evening one Croat soldier tried to gauge my left eye with a small knife. This soldier was swearing at my Chetnick mother and demanded explanation why I am wearing military boots. With that knife, which he was holding in his hand, he pierce my foot on the upper side of the right leg.
I was detained in the school premises for another three days and all that time I was tortured and harassed…:.
The witness F. states as follows:
“…During the day they would take us out several times, and especially at night. They were beating us with everything in their reach. They were saying that we would all be killed.
In the premisses in which I was detained, there were some 250 of us – only men. I remained in this camp from September 15 to November 25, 1992.
They were taking us to dig trenches on the front battle lines even during actual fighting. During trench digging the following were killed:
1. Luka Dragicevic from Bukovac, and
2. NN person, I do not know his name
We were sleeping on bare concrete without any cover or mattress.
We did not have any possibility to bathe, or cut our hair or shave, so we were covered with lice, a lot of them.
From the kicks, which were inflicted on me during the stay in this prison camp, I am still feeling terrible pain in the area of kidneys and spine and in other parts of the body. The beating of arrested Serbs took place every day and every night, so that only a few could leave the camp without consequences.
They would take us to Serbian villages where we would bury killed Serbs…”.
The witness G was detained in this prison camp in early 1993. He states as follows:
“…Some 20 days before I was exchanged I was taken with one group of arrested persons to the Muslim village of Gornji Rahic and I was detained there for 20 days. The Muslim soldiers guarded us. They were kicking us every day mercilessly, kicking us with their boots, fists and truncheons. We were constantly being threatened by the Muslim soldiers that we shall all be killed and that there is no life for us, until the very moment when we were taken to be exchanged…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Kalic Nijaz, from Brcko, was working on a cattle market in Brcko, at weighing of cattle, guard in the prison camp of Gornji Rahic, member of the “Green Berets”.
2. Fazlagic Jasna, employed before the war in the Secretariat for Interior of Brcko.
3. Ibrahimovic Nufik, called “Nufko”, of father Adem and mother Kokana Alic, born on October 20, 1964 in Pribidoli, Municipality of Srebrenica, was residing in Brcko in Brace Vasica Street No. 58, before the war employed as a policeman in the police station in Brcko, member of the 108 Brcanska Brigade of HVO of Bosnian Posavina.
4. Lisic Samir, of father Sead and mother Bagajeta Hadzic, born on September 28, 1973 in Brcko, was residing in Gornji Rahic No. 5, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of HVO of Bosnian Posavina.
5. Pejto Mensur, called “Car”, of father Nedzib and mother Emina Cosic, born on March 27, 1967 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, H. Sekovica No. 8, a carate athlete.
6. Suljic Damir, called “Makija”, of father Smajil and mother Zahida Fazlic, born on December 1, 1967 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, Brace Suljagica Street No. 72, member of the Crisis Headquarters in Gornji Rahic, member of the 108 Brcanska Brigade of HVO Bosnian Posavina.
7. Salijevic Nermin, called “Gumeni”, of father Feriz and mother Zarifa Bajranovic, born on November 24, 1969 in Brcko, was residing in Gunja, Naserova Stret No. 39, member of the Crisis Headquarters in Gornji Rahic.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the town hall in Gornji Rahic, near Brcko, September 1992 – beginning of 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In this prison camp mostly Serbs from the local community of Bukvik and surrounding villages were detained.
The witness A. is describing in the following way his detention in this prison camp:
“…There were some 260 men in the main room of the town hall. Since the space was very small and we were many, we had to sit on the floor and there was no room for us to lie down. In the room in which we were detained, they would enter several times during the day and many times at night. Muslim and Croat soldiers were swearing at our Serbian mother, at our Chetnick mother and were kicking us with boots, fists, truncheons, pieces of plastic tubes, metal rods and other objects at hand.
By night they would order us to stand at attention and would start beating us. During every beating they were threatening to kill us all, saying that there is no life for us in their villages.
They would give us only once per day a small slice of bread and 2-3 spoons of boiled rice without any spices or meat.
I remained in this prison camp 20 days…”.
The witness B. testifies as follows:
“…I was arrested and taken to the village of Gornji Rahic and was detained in the premises of the town hall. The soldiers there took away all of my personal belongings. They would take us in groups to other premises and would beat us there, and when the ones taken there would return, they were all blue and covered with blood. This was done several times during the day, but mostly at night. They would not let us sleep. They would enter many times during the night and every time they entered, they would force us to stand at attention and would threaten us.
I was detained in Rahic for two and a half months and during all that time in prison, we were sleeping on bare concrete, and the food, which we were receiving once per day, was very poor in quality and insufficient in quantity.
From this prison camp the detained Serbs were taken daily in groups for trench digging and for other labor. There were rumors that some were taken to bury the assassinated Serbs in the area of the local community of Bukvik, but I was not in that group.
Together with me in this prison was also my son P. who was in the same room. During the beating, they kicked out one of his teeth…”.
The witness C. states as follows:
“…I was detained in the prison camp in Gornji Rahic from September 18 to October 2, 1992, when I was taken to Tuzla. During that time we were very often taken for interrogation, most often at night. During interrogation we would always be beaten mostly with fists and truncheons and kicked with boots. In this hall there were some 200 detained Serbs…”.
About his detention in the town hall in Gornji Rahic the witness D. states the following:
“…I was arrested on September 15, 1992 with my two sons and a wife. We were joined to the group of some 500-600 Serbs, men, and were all taken to the Muslim village of Gornji Rahic and placed there in the premisses of the primary school and the town hall.
I was detained in the main room of the town hall for two days and we were some 500 of us there. During all this time my son and I had to stand. Muslim soldiers would enter during both day and night, would kick us with boots and beat us with fists and truncheons. During the day they would take us out several times in front of the hall and beat us. While beating us, they would swear at our Serbian mother threatening that we will be killed. They were calling me a Chetnick duke, were taking out knives saying that they will slaughter me. I was mostly beaten up by Galib Hodzic and a man called Lisic…”.
The witness E. states as follows:
“…I remained for two months and five days in the main room of the town hall in Rahic. During that time Croat and Muslim soldiers were taking out the inmates in groups and were giving them terrible beating. They were beating us with boots, pieces of plastic cable and other objects. When they would return us after beating, we were all blue and cover with blood, could hardly move.
From this prison camp the inmates were daily taken out in groups to dig trenches, to cover houses and bury the killed…”.
The witness F. testifies as follows:
“Croat and Muslim soldiers entered the village of Vujicici in the local community of Bukvik where I lived. We escaped in the woods where we were captured. After the arrest, they took us to the village of Rahic and detained us in the town hall. When they took me out of the hall, one soldier was hitting my head against the wall, and the other one was kicking me with boots in the stomach and knees. I was mostly beaten by Galib Hodzic…”.
The witness G. states as follows:
“I was first detained in prison in Ulice until February 20, 1993, and then I was taken to Gornji Rahic, where I was kept for 20 days, then I was exchanged. I was not beaten, but I was told every day that we will all be killed…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Hodzic Galib, called “Gale” or “Gali”, of father Himzo and mother Safija Pasalic, born on November 21, 1947 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, at Osmana Djikica Street No. 23, before the war inspector at the Secretariat of Interior Affairs of Brcko, member of the Crisis Headquarters in Gornji Rahic.
2. Lisic Senad, from Gornji Rahic, guard.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the building-material storage in Gornji Rahic near Brcko, end of 1992 – beginning of 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness testifies as follows:
“…On September 15, 1992 I was captured by the uniformed soldiers bearing insignia of the HVO (Croat Defense Council). They took us to Gornji Rahic where they detained us first in the town hall. But since there was not enough space for all of us there, they took us to the building material storage, where we spent six months.
The command was there in Muslim hands, in the hands of their military police. They were beating us and harassing us daily. We would pass between the row of their soldiers and they would beat us with everything they could lay their hands on.
Several of my teeth were broken. A certain Ilija “Hosovac” was boasting of having slaughtered Ljuba Mlinar Croat soldiers were taking us to dig trenches. We were warned not to try to escape and Zecevic told us that, if one is to escape, 10 will be shot.
I was exchanged in March of 1993…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Hamidovic Adnan, of father Husnija and mother Mujesira Muminovic, born on October 28, 1968 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, 16. Muslimanske NOUB Street No. 37, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of HVO of Bosnian posavina.
2. Lisic Samir, of father Sead and mother Bagajeta Hadzic, born on September 28, 1973 in Brcko, was residing in Gornji Rahic No. 5, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of HVO of Bosnian Posavina
3. Suljic Damir, called “Makija” of father Smajil and mother Zahida Fazlic, born on December 1, 1967 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, Brace Suljagica Street No. 72, member of the Crisis Headquarters of Gornji Rahic, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of HVO of Bosnian Posavina
4. Ilija, called “Hosovac”
5. Armin, from Brcko
6. Zecevic-Tadic Marin, of father Mirko and mother Ruza Josic, born on February 2, 1944 in Gornji Zovik, Municipality of Brcko, was residing in Gornji Zovik No. 185, one of the commanders of the battalion of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the so-called army of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
7. Zecevic Niko, from Gornji Zovik.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in nursery garden in Gornji Rahic near Brcko, May 1992 – beginning of 1993
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: About his detention in the prison camp in nursery garden in Gornji Rahic, the witness A. testifies as follows:
“…When I was brought to the building for ripening of picked fruit in the nursery garden in early May 1992, I found there another 7-8 arrested Serbs.
I was often taken to the other premisses at night by “Sok” and “Kobra” who first of all had cut off a part of my left foot, by the screw for timber were piercing my chest from the front side in the level of the right-hand breast, with a knife in several places were cutting into my left and right ear lobe. With a device in the form of a hook they tried to gauge my left eye and I still have a scar. They were extinguishing cigarettes on my spinal cord. They were especially beating me in the area of kidneys, spine and head. They were beating me until I fainted and then they would pour water over me. Several times they would tie my right hand with a left leg by wire and I still have the scars.
I have spent in this prison camp two months and I do not know exactly how many times I was taken out and beaten senseless.
In this prison camp we were sleeping on bare concrete without any mattress or cover, and once per day we would receive a slice of bread because one loaf of bread was to feed 13 inmates. We would be given with bread 5-6 spoons of some cooked food, which was tasteless and had no spices…
…They did not ask us anything, they were only taking us out and beating us, swearing at our Chetnick mother and threatening to kill us all.”
The witness B. was arrested by Muslims in his car at the control point and was taken to Gornji Rahic, to the chamber for ripening of fruit, where he found another 11 detained Serbs.
From there Croat and Muslim soldiers took him to various points and were beating him mercilessly. They took him to the “Biljana” factory in Maoca, where they incited the present workers to hit him, and gave him beating until he fainted. Women and children, who were present there, beat him. When he regained consciousness he saw that his hands and legs were tied.
Only on the fourth day for the first time he was given some water, but in the water there was a laundry detergent. On the orders of the guard, who placed a knife under his throat, he had to drink this contaminated water.
Asmir Tatarevic was piercing a screw between fingers of both his hands and feet and he still has the scars. After that Asmir had cut off pieces of muscle from the interior side of his lower leg and forced him to eat it.
One of the most dangerous guards was the one they called “Sok”. He was hitting the witness with fists on the head, and boots on the chest. On that occasion the witness suffered fracture of ribs.
The witness was taken twice to faked execution by firing squad and on both occasions was beaten until he lost consciousness. They demanded his confession that he was killing women and children, and that the bodies of killed Muslims and Croats were burnt down in the dog pound in Brcko.
The witness had spent 31 days in this prison camp and all that time he was sleeping on bare concrete.
During his detention in the camp, this witness was taken to excavate unexploded artillery grenades. On such occasions he would on purpose pound with the spade on the grenade fuse in order to take his own life, but grenades did not explode.
This witness attempted to take his own life in this prison camp by cutting his left wrist. This was noticed by the guard he took him to the doctor who sewed his wound on the hand. Afterwards he was tied at all times so that he would not commit suicide.
The witness C. in this camp was detained for 55 days and testifies as follows:
“…They took me to the nursery garden – to the fruit ripening chamber and closed me there. There were another four Serbs there from Brcko.
They started interrogating me immediately. During interrogation they were beating me. They were kicking me with boots, beating me with fists and truncheons, pieces of metal rods and riffle butts. They were hitting me all over the body, mostly on the back and head. They were beating me every day three or four times, and mostly at night.
From time to time, members of HOS would come. Among them were “Sok”, “Kobra”, “Sova” and others. They were saying that they came from Zagreb and Split and other places with the assignment to destroy Serbs.
They were taking us to load and unload the trucks, and then to excavate unexploded mortar and howitzer grenades. I have personally excavated 5 grenades 155 mm caliber weighing 42 kilograms…
During all my stay in the prison camp we were sleeping on bare concrete without any cover and we were given food once per day in small quantities…”.
The witness D. was also after arrest, detained in the garage of the nursery garden and interrogation started immediately. He was personally interrogated by Galib Hadzic who was swearing at his Serbian mother and was kicking him not only with boots, but was also beating him with truncheon and fists. Over the next 19 days, during the detention of this witness in the prison camp, Muslim soldiers continued to beat him mostly at night. In this period during daily beatings, the witness lost 6 teeth from the upper jaw and several cuts and bruises were inflicted on his right arm. The witness is having terrible pain from the inflicted injuries in the area of rib cage on both sides and has strong headaches.
According to the testimonies of witnesses E. and F. who were also detained in this prison camp in this nursery garden, Muslim soldiers were beating them, while the witness G. was especially beaten on the head, knees and stomach.
The witness H. is testifying as follows about his detention in the prison camp of the nursery garden garage:
“…I was interrogated by Galib Hodzic. He was beating me and threatening to kill me. He was ordering me to stand by the wall while the others were hitting me in all parts of the body. I was entirely covered with blood after this beating.
I was sleeping in this garage on the floor and we were receiving small quantities of food once per day, sometimes twice…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Hadzic Galib, called “Gale” or “Gali”, of father Himzo and mother Safija Pasalic, born on November 21, 1947 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, at Osmana Djikica Street No. 23, before the war inspector at the Secretariat of Interior Affairs of Brcko, member of the Crisis Headquarters of Gornji Rahic.
2. “Sok”, member of the HVO, guard
3. “Kobra”, member of the HVO, guard
4. “Sova”, member of the HVO, guard
5. Fazlic Muhamed, before the war was a policeman in Brcko
6. Tatarevic Asmir, of father Mevludin and mother Zahida Fazlic, born on June 14, 1964 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, M. Sehica Street No. 2, before the war employed in Brcko port.
7. Osmanovic Osman, called “Osmo”, of father Semso and mother Hajka Jukic, born on March 14, 1960 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko at H. Jerkovica Street No. 160, before the war inspector for fight against corporate crime, member of the Crisis Headquarters of Gornji Rahic.
8. Osmanovic Ferhat, of father Semso and mother Hajka Jukic, born on April 16, 1954 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, H. Jerkovica Street No. 160, member of the Crisis Headquarters in Gornji Rahic.
9. Fazlovic Ferid of father Musa and mother Emina Mekic, born on May 5, 1954 in Islamovac, Municipality of Brcko, was residing in Brcko, at Fadila Jahica Spanca No. 2, before the war chief of detachment of the State Security Service in Brcko, member of the Military Command of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina.
10. Fejto Mensur, before the war was residing in Brcko
11. Mehmedbasic Mirsad, called “Zuco”
12. Ilija Kelava, from Gunja, some 25 years old, member of the HVO
13. Vesna Gunje (or from Gunje), before the war was employed in the coffee-shop “Boem” in Brcko
14. Peljto Mensur, of father Nedzib and mother Emina Cosic, born on March 27, 1967 in Brcko, was residing Brcko, at H. Sekovica No. 8, a carate athlete.
15. Lisic Mirsad, of father Meksud and mother Raza Cajic, born on April 2, 1966 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko, at M. Tesica Street No. 5.
16. Suljic Damir, called “Makija”, of father Smajil and mother Zahida Fazlic, born on December 1, 1967 in Brcko, was residing in Brcko at Brace Suljagica Street No. 72, member of the Crisis Headquarters of Gornji Rahic, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina.
17. Bilic Vinko, called “Bili”, of father Jozo and mother Danica Juric, born on October 29, 1965 in Dubrave, Municipality of Brcko, was residing in Brcko, at Banovicka Street bb, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina.
18. Markic Ivica.
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp in the primary school building in the village of Ulice near Brcko, June 1992 – beginning of 1993
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness A. testifies as follows:
“…I was captured by the Croat Army on June 8, 1992 and was taken to the village of Ulice and detained in the primary school building, where I was kept for 17 days.
During all this time they were very often taking me out and beating me. A soldier named Senad beat me, the other facts about him I do not know. He would handcuff me and then kick me with boots. From the kicks my teeth were broken in the upper jaw on the left side, the sixth and seventh rib on the left. He fractured the cartilage of my left ear. He would hit me on the head and until this day I feel terrible pain and vertigo.
We were sleeping on bare concrete and were receiving food only once per day, a slice of bread and two-three spoons of some soup…”.
About his stay in the primary school building in Ulice, witness 679/95-14 states the following:
“…They captured me on November 7, 1992 and took me to the Croat village of Ulice where they locked me up in the primary school building. I was kept there until January 5, 1993. When I was brought, there were some 100 Serbs in the school, from the area of the local community of Bukvik.
In this prison camp we were sleeping on the floor, and the food was just enough for survival.
I heard the screams coming from other rooms, and saw people returning from interrogation. They were all blue and covered with blood, completely beaten…”.
The witness B. states as follows:
“…I was captured together with my father, mother and sister by the Croat soldiers and taken to the village of Ulice. We were together one night and in the room members of HOS would enter and in our presence would beat my father. The next day they took away my mother and sister, and in the school we remained my father and myself.
Immediately afterwards they took away my father and when he returned he was covered with blood and beaten. Then they took me out and beat me up. They were asking me where is the money demanding that I go and find the money and give it to them. We did not have the money and could not give them, so they were beating me. They were kicking me with boots, hitting me with fists and truncheons…”.
The witness C. testified before the investigating judge as follows:
“…Serbian population was escaping into forests and was hiding there. The Croat and Muslim army, however, was finding hidden Serbs and was taking them to the Muslim village of Gornji Rahic and the village of Ulice and they were imprisoned there.
I was captured with one group by the Croat army and was taken to the village of Ulice and imprisoned in the primary school building in which I remained for 40 days. In the school there were some 30-40 detained Serbs from the area of the local community of Bukvik. Croat soldiers at night would take the detained Serbs out into another room and there they would beat and interrogate us. They were kicking us with boots, truncheons and were swearing at our Serbian and Chetnick mother…I was taken several times to dig trenches in the nearby places.
During all this time we were sleeping on the bare floor of the school building and were receiving food only once per day. The food consisted of a small slice of bread and some boiled rice without any spices…”.
About her stay in this prison camp the witness D. states the following:
“…I was brought to the village of Ulice with a group of arrested women and children and was detained there until February 20, 1993. We were placed in the primary school classrooms. During all this time we were sleeping on the floor with a bit of hay on top and were receiving food once per day, although there were days when we did not receive any food. The food was extremely bad, and given in small quantities. We would be given a slice of bread and 2-3 spoons of boiled rice or something else without any spices.
Soldiers who were guarding us and who were entering our premises were masked…”.
The witness E. testifies the following about his detention in Ulice village:
“…I was captured with a group of Serbs who were in hiding on September 18, 1992 and was taken immediately to the village of Ulice. We were detained in the hall of the primary school building where on all windows iron bars were placed.
We would be taken out several times during the day and night and were beaten. I was hit with the truncheon all over the body. I was mostly hit on the head so that from one of the blows my equilibrium center was damaged and I could no longer either stand up or walk.
I remained in this prison camp for 110 days and during all this time both myself and the others were sleeping on the bare floor. The food was in very small quantities and poor.
We were taken every day to dig trenches along the line Ulice-Gorice-Lamiste and Donji Rahic. During trench digging we were beaten…”.
The witness F. is stating the following:
“…I was transferred to the village of Ulice in November 1992 and was placed in the primary school building where I remained until January 9, 1993.
In the village of Ulice we were guarded by the Croat soldiers. They were taking out and beating the detained Serbs but not myself. The captured Serbs were taken out daily for trench digging and for filling the bags with sand…”.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Simic Marko, of father Blazo, from the village of Ulovic, Municipality of Brcko, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina, commander of the military police in Ulice, prison cap warden.
2. “Cadjo”, a Croat from Slavonski Brod, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina, guard
3. “Braco”, a Muslim from the Republic of Croatia, member of the 108th Brcanska Brigade of the HVO of Bosnian Posavina, guard
4. Senad
Lukavac
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Lukavac, prison camp in a school center, June 27, 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In this camp was also detained Jovic Nikola, some 60 years old, retired from Puratic near Lukavac who was beaten the most from all the imprisoned Serbs.
Members of the military police on June 27, 1992 entered the room, in which Jovic was detained together with the testifying witness, shouting: “Something should be slaughtered”. Then they took away Jovic Nikola and after one hour they returned him completely beaten up and unconscious.
During that night he died, and in the morning military policemen took away his body, and as far as this witness knows, he was buried at the cemetery in Lukavac.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
Member of the military police in Lukavac.
Ljubace
Designation of crime: Crimes Against Humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp Ljubace in Zivinice, years 1992-1993
BRIEF DESCRIPTION; In this prison camp the witness A. was beaten for three days and nights continuously. As a consequence of this beating he was unable to walk for two months.
All the inmates of this prison were subjected to torture. They were beaten with riffle butts, baseball bats, legs of tables and rubber truncheons. Prisoners were taken from this camp to the Secretariat of Interior Affairs in Zivinice where they were interrogated and also beaten up.
This prison camp was visited on June 22, 1993 by the crew of the International Red Cross where a certain Catry was also a member. When she saw the condition in which was the witness 283/94-12 she started crying and said: “Is it possible that a man can do this to another man?”
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Vinko, a Croat by nationality, member of the military police
2. Blue inspector, a middle aged man, from Basikovac
Designation of crime: Genocide (Article 4. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Ljubace near Zivinice, prison camp, middle of 1993.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: All the detained Serbs in this prison camp were subjected to terrible torture. They were beaten up with riffle butts, baseball bats, broken legs of chairs and tables and with rubber truncheons. From this prison camp they were also taken to the Secretariat for Interior Affairs of Zivinice where they were interrogated and also beaten up.
From these tortures in June 1993 died
Ristic Mico
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Vinko, of Croat nationality, member of the military police forces.
Capljina
Designation of crime: Crimes against humanity (Article 5. of ICTY Statute)
PLACE AND TIME: Prison camp of the HVO in the former JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) barracks “Mirko Popara” in Grabovina near Capljina, June-July 1992.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The witness was imprisoned with another 23 Serbs, mostly elderly men. During his stay in this camp, he was performing various physical jobs. Most often they were working on storaging of goods which the HVO members were looting from Serbian houses – technical appliances, agricultural machinery, wood boards, bricks, various beverages, wardrobes, etc.
The witness has spent in the prison camp 56 days and every day was beaten, as a rule, in the afternoon and at night around 02:00 hours. The inmates were beaten with truncheons, feet, hands, wooden poles and everything else. Perpetrators did not choose parts of body to beat. The witness was all covered with injuries and blue, but he was forced to work in the storage.
Some Serbs who were also detained in this prison camp and who were heavily beaten, were taken out of the camp and never returned. Every trace of them disappeared after that.
They were sleeping in the basement on wooden floor, without any blankets.
INDICATIONS CONCERNING PERPETRATORS:
1. Ivankovic Dane, prison camp warden
2. Rajic Vlado, of father Marko, from Capljine, member of the HVO police
3. Matic Toni, son of general Matic, member of the HVO police
4. Boskovic, guard, a tall and strong man
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