Appeal against verdict for crimes in Vlasenica to be presented next week

(Patria) - On Friday, September 2, a session is scheduled before the Appellate Chamber of the State Court where appeals will be presented against the first-instance verdict sentencing Predrag Bastah to 20 years in prison for the murder of 34 people committed in 1992 in Mračni Dol near Vlasenica.

In March this year, Bastah, as a member of the reserve forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska (MUP RS), was found guilty by a non-final verdict of crimes against humanity committed in the Vlasenica area.

According to this verdict, Bastah participated in the murder of 34 civilians of Bosniak ethnicity between April 21 and the end of September 1992 by directing civilians, under the threat of a rifle, to the place where they were killed.

It is stated that Bastah secured the execution site, that he did not personally carry out the liquidation actions, but participated as a co-perpetrator.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Bastah to 20 years in prison in the first-instance verdict, and a single prison sentence of 35 years was imposed.

On the same day, before the Court of BiH, the presentation of closing arguments by the Defense of Radojica Ristić and Miodrag Mitrašinović is planned. They are accused of murdering 20 passengers in Višegrad, abducted on February 27, 1993, from a train in Štrpci.

Together with them, Luka Dragičević, Obrad and Novak Poluga, Dragan Šekarić, Oliver Krsmanović, and Petko Inđić are accused of these crimes.

Next week, trials for crimes committed in Kalinovik, Vareš, Bijeljina, Kotor-Varoš, and Zvornik and Prijedor will continue before the Court of BiH, BIRN reports.