Documenta files criminal charges for crimes during Operation Storm on celebration day

Documenta - Center for Dealing with the Past today filed criminal charges with the State Prosecutor's Office for crimes committed in Uzdolje near Knin and nearby hamlets from August 5 to 8, 1995, Croatian media report, as reported by the Patria agency.

In the charges, Documenta states that three members of the Croatian armed forces, on August 6, 1995, found eight helpless, harmless, and elderly Serb civilians in the village of Uzdolje near Knin.

- After intimidation, curses, and threats, one of the soldiers opened fire with an automatic rifle on a group of elderly women and men, killing Milica Šare, born in 1922, Stevo Berić, born in 1933, Janja Berić, born in 1932, Đurđija Berić, born in 1916, Krsto Šara, born in 1931, Miloš Ćosić, born in 1923, and Jandrija Šara, born in 1932. One person survived and managed to escape into the nearby forest. Sava Šare, born in 1922, was killed on her doorstep.

On the same day, unknown members of the HV in Vrbnik, one of the hamlets of the then municipality of Orlić, killed civilians Lazo Damjanić, born in 1933/34, and in the hamlet of Zarići, 28-year-old Predrag Zarić - states Documenta.

They also remind in the charges that the first-instance verdict of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) established that in the then municipalities of Donji Lapac, Ervenik, Gračac, Kistanje, Knin, and Orlić, members of the Croatian Armed Forces and Special Police committed more than 40 murders and acts of inhumane and cruel treatment.

- In the first-instance verdict (Ivan Čermak) and the final verdict of November 16, 2012, Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač were acquitted, and the ICTY left the continuation of criminal prosecution for undoubtedly committed criminal offenses to the judiciary in Croatia. Competent state prosecutor's offices have filed only three indictments, while Croatian courts have so far issued two final verdicts for war crimes - Documenta states in the charges.

Documenta proposes to the State Prosecutor's Office that, based on their criminal charges, they collect the necessary information and evidence, and after that, an investigation be conducted and an indictment be filed against the unknown perpetrators.

After the representatives of Documenta submitted the criminal charges, about a hundred representatives of various veteran organizations gathered in front of the prosecutor's office, protesting vehemently against the filing of the charges, considering it a major provocation given that Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day in Operation Storm is being celebrated in Croatia today and tomorrow.

A large number of police officers are present in front of the State Prosecutor's Office building.

The biggest scandal during the celebration of the victory in Operation Storm was caused by the City Administration of Zagreb, which decorated the entire city with incorrectly designed Croatian flags. Instead of the red-white-blue flag, blue-white-red flags were placed, which also caused negative reactions from veteran associations.