Mehmed Sadiković indicted for war crimes against prisoners of war

The prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH has filed an indictment against Mehmed Sadiković, born on 08/31/1948 in Slatina, municipality of Čajniče, residing in Bugojno, a citizen of BiH, reports the Patria News Agency.

The accused is charged that during the state of war in BiH, during the armed conflict between the HVO and the Army of RBiH, as the camp manager at the NK „Iskra“ stadium in Bugojno, he acted contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

He is charged that in the period from the end of July 1993 until September of the same year, as the manager of the detention facility in Bugojno, he participated in, incited, and assisted in the preparation, as well as the commission of criminal offenses against detainees and prisoners of war of Croatian nationality.

According to the indictment, the accused allowed members of the HVO to be detained and held captive in unsanitary premises, without food, clothing, medical treatment, and without the possibility of performing hygienic needs.

The accused allowed the selection of detainees and prisoners of war who were sent for forced labor, and he approved and allowed persons of Croatian nationality who were detained and captured to be taken for forced labor to the front lines in Prusac, as well as the wider region of Gornji Vakuf, and for mine clearance in Bugojno.

During the taking of detainees for forced labor on the front lines, two persons were killed due to combat activities, and several prisoners were wounded, while during mine clearance in August 1993, one person was seriously physically injured by the activation of an explosive device.

The accused is charged with failing to prevent the torture of several detainees, prisoners of war, and failing to punish the perpetrators subordinate to him, the guards, and he also agreed with their torture.

The accused Sadiković is charged with committing the criminal offense of war crimes against prisoners of war. The indictment will be forwarded for confirmation to the Court of BiH, it was announced from the Prosecutor's Office of BiH.