Humanitarian Law Center Files Criminal Complaint with Serbian Prosecutor's Office for Crimes in Ilijaš

The Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) announced that it has filed a criminal complaint with the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor's Office for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during 1992 against the non-Serb civilian population in the municipality of Ilijaš in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Patria reports.

The complaint was filed by the Center and the Association of Families of the Missing of Ilijaš municipality, as stated, on May 17 against the former president of the so-called Serbian Municipality of Ilijaš and its crisis staff, Ratko Adžić, a retired teacher at the Philological High School in Belgrade, as well as against several former members of security forces who operated under the control of the Crisis Staff and now live in Serbia.

The criminal complaint identifies approximately 45 other individuals suspected of murders, enforced disappearances, robberies, and abuse of non-Serb civilians from Ilijaš, whose current place of residence is unknown.

The Center stated that the criminal complaint covers the murders and enforced disappearances of at least 67 civilians, committed during attacks on villages in Ilijaš or during detention in camps.

- The remains of some victims were found in 1996 in two mass graves in the municipality of Ilijaš - Lješevo and Žerovanj, while over 50 are still listed as missing - the statement reads.

It is added that the criminal complaint also covers the destruction of a large number of historical and religious sites in Ilijaš, including the parish church in Taračin Dol and 21 Muslim religious monuments, including the mosque in Stari Ilijaš, the mosque in Misoča, the mekteb in Bioča, and the mosque in Srednje.

Furthermore, the Center submitted more than 50 pieces of evidence, including statements from survivors and eyewitnesses, official documents of the Serbian Municipality of Ilijaš and its crisis staff, testimony of Ratko Adžić before the Hague Tribunal, as well as other evidentiary items collected by The Hague.