First-instance verdict for Mensur Peljto on Monday

Closing arguments were presented today at the Basic Court of Brčko District of BiH in the case against former Brčko boxer Mensur Peljto, suspected of committing a war crime against Serb civilians and prisoners in the area of the pre-war municipality of Brčko in mid-1992.

The former professional world boxing champion is accused of torturing, inhumanely treating, causing great suffering, and inflicting injuries to the bodily integrity and health of prisoners of war and civilians detained in the premises of the former Majevica Forestry in Okrajci, as a member of the 108th Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council for Bosnian Posavina, during May and June 1992.

Acquittal as the only just decision

Bosniak returnees to Brčko believe that the proceedings against former members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina are proof of an attempt to equate the horrific crimes committed against the non-Serb population, mostly Bosniaks, with the crimes committed against the Serb population, even though the role of Serbs in the wartime events was exclusively that of aggressors and perpetrators of crimes.

Rifat Konjić, Peljto's defense attorney, emphasizes that the defense has proven to the Court that all evidence absolutely indicates that the actions attributed to Peljto do not constitute the elements of the crime of war crimes.

"These are witnesses who have been heard multiple times and who have changed their statements at the main hearing for various reasons. It was clearly intended for the witnesses to confirm that they were mistreated by Peljto in a certain way," Konjić stated.

A total of ten witnesses who were detained in the mentioned facility, which prosecutor Radmilo Ivanović called a camp, were heard.

"The fact is that all these people remained healthy and alive, only for the prosecutor to claim 25 years later that one of them developed colon cancer as a consequence of detention in that facility, or that one died after 25 years at the age of 80 because he was detained. All of this, to me as a person, lawyer, and defender, is not appropriate considering all the crimes committed in this city," said Konjić.

Peljto: I am convinced of an acquittal

Mensur Peljto believes that the entire proceeding against him, which has been ongoing for 23 months, has been a case of mistaken identity.

"I am convinced of an acquittal. It will be one of the happiest days of my life, after winning the world title in professional boxing and the many triumphs I have had in my life," he said.

In addition to his brother Mustafa, who came from the Netherlands, a large number of citizens also showed support for Peljto at today's trial. All of them could not fit into the courtroom.

The pronouncement of the first-instance verdict for Mensur Peljto is scheduled for Monday, May 16, at 3 PM. The verdict will be delivered by judge Muhamed Avdić, NAP reports.