Appeals Panel of the Court of BiH Overturns Verdict Against Dželilović and Others for Crimes in Hadžići

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Appeals Panel of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has upheld the appeal of Mustafa Dželilović and others, charged with crimes against the civilian population in the Hadžići municipality area during the war in BiH, the Patria agency reports.

The Appeals Chamber, presided over by Judge Miloš Babić, with panel members Senadin Bektašević and Tihimor Lukes, overturned the first-instance verdict of the Court of BiH by which Dželilović and others were sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison, and returned the entire case for retrial.

The Trial Chamber found Dželilović and others guilty in July last year of war crimes against the civilian population, committed from May 1992 to January 1996. This was one of the longest proceedings in the history of the State Court, lasting more than six years.

Former President of the Hadžići Municipal Assembly, as well as of the crisis staff and war presidency of that municipality, Mustafa Đelilović, and commander of the Ninth Mountain Brigade of the Army of BiH, Nezir Kazić, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Former Chief of the Hadžići Public Security Station and member of the crisis staff, Fadil Čović, and manager of the "Silos" camp, Bećir Hujić, were each sentenced to eight years in prison.

Police commander in Pazarić, Mirsad Šabić, and deputy manager of the "Silos" camp, Halid Čović, were each sentenced to six years, while the manager of the camp in the warehouse at the "Krupa" barracks in Zovik, Šerif Mešanović, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Guard at the "Silos" camp, Nermin Kalember, was sentenced to five years in prison.

Presiding Judge of the Trial Chamber, Minka Kreho, stated that the accused were guilty of knowingly and willingly enabling and organizing the detention of Serbian and Croatian civilians in the "Silos" camp, the "9. maj" Elementary School in Pazarić, and the warehouse of the "Krupa" barracks in Zovik, from May 1992 to January 1996, in the wider Sarajevo area, including the Hadžići municipality.