Dragoljub Kunarac extradited to BiH, new trial awaits for crimes in Foča

(Patria) - Dragoljub Kunarac, accused of crimes in Foča, has been extradited to BiH authorities and a hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at the BiH Court, after serving a 28-year sentence for multiple rapes in 1992 imposed by the Hague Tribunal, it was confirmed for Detektor.

Anja Loga, Kunarac's lawyer, stated that he has served his prison sentence in Germany, from where he arrived in our country today, where he was taken over by the court police.

- Since the BiH Court ordered his pre-trial detention in February this year, after confirming the indictment, tomorrow there will be a hearing to decide whether he will be remanded in custody, which can last up to three years - Loga told Detektor.

Seven years ago, the BiH Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Kunarac for crimes against humanity in the Foča area during 1992, and his extradition from Germany, where he was serving a 28-year prison sentence under a judgment of the Hague Tribunal, was recently requested.

"On October 13, 2025, the BiH Prosecutor's Office, through the BiH Ministry of Justice, sent a request to the judicial authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany for the extradition of the said person to BiH, for the purpose of conducting proceedings based on the indictment of the BiH Prosecutor's Office," the institution stated earlier.

According to the indictment, Kunarac, in his capacity as commander of the special unit of the Army of Republika Srpska, known as "Žaga", along with other uniformed and armed members of the "Žaga" unit, on July 27 and 28, 1992, from the area of the villages and hamlets of Kobilja Ravan, Luke, and Falovići - Podpeće, as part of persecution, participated in the killing of at least six people, as well as the torture and infliction of severe physical and psychological suffering on captured civilians, and the deportation of the civilian population of Bosniak nationality.

During the attack on civilians of Bosniak nationality, Kunarac is also accused of participating in the burning of houses and property. The BiH Court has confirmed this indictment.

On June 12, 2002, the Hague Tribunal sentenced Kunarac to 28 years in prison for multiple rapes, and for the enslavement of two women whom he completely deprived of control over their lives and treated them as his property.

In the judgment against him, Radomir Kovač, and Zoran Vuković in 2001, the Hague Tribunal established for the first time that rape constitutes a crime against humanity.

Kunarac is the first person accused of rape and torture of Bosnian Muslim women. In addition to him, Kovač was sentenced to 20 years and Vuković to 12 years in prison in this case.

He was transferred to Germany to serve his sentence on December 12, 2002, and the time spent in custody since March 4, 1998, was included in his sentence.

Kunarac is the first accused of rape and torture of Bosnian Muslim women who voluntarily surrendered to The Hague. He voluntarily surrendered to SFOR French soldiers in Filipovići near Foča on March 4, 1998.

After that, he was transferred to Mostar, and on the same day, he was handed over to the jurisdiction of the International Court, where he was placed in the Detention Unit of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.