Eleven Bosnian Serbs Charged with Crimes Against Humanity

12/31/2023

The 11 suspects were charged with committing crimes against humanity in 1992 for their involvement in the unlawful detention and inhumane treatment of around 700 Bosniak men and boys, some of whom were killed.

The Bosnian state prosecution charged Vidoje Blagojevic, Ivan Arapovic, Milan Arapovic, Kosta Pejic, Bozo Radic, Mile Savic, Mile Blagojevic, Ljubisa Pejic, Stevo Vasiljevic, Branko Pejic and Verica Radovic with committing crimes against humanity from late May to early June 1992 during the Bosnian war.

The indictment claims that Ivan Arapovic, Milan Arapovic, Kosta Pejic, Branko Pejic, Ljubisa Pejic, Radic, Savic, Mile Blagojevic and Vasiljevic participated in the unlawful detention and inhumane treatment of around 700 Bosniak men and boys as guards at the Technical School in the town of Karakaj.

The Bosniak civilians, aged between 15 and 70, were taken to the Technical School after being separated from women, children and elderly people in the village of Bijeli Potok, the prosecution said in a statement.

“According to the charges, the accused beat the detained civilians on two occasions, forcing them to walk between two lines of people, after which these defendants then held them in inhumane conditions, while the civilians were beaten up and abused in various ways, which caused severe suffering and serious physical and mental injuries to the victims,” the prosecution said.

According to the charges, around 20 civilians died because of the inhumane conditions, while the guards did not prevent the killing of prisoners by known and unknown soldiers within the premises they were guarding.

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