Trial for crimes in Livno begins

A trial has begun at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina against Zdenko Andabak, Muamir Jašarević, and Sead Velagić for crimes committed against Serb civilians in the Livno area, BIRN reported, according to the Patria news agency.

According to the indictment in 29 counts, Andabak and Jašarević detained, tortured, and killed, while Velagić tortured Serb civilians who were detained in the "Ivan Goran Kovačić" elementary school in 1992.

According to the indictment, Andabak was the commander of the Military Police of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) for the Northwest Herzegovina Operational Zone from May to July 1992, and from July 1992, the commander of the Second Battalion of the HVO Military Police, while Jašarević was his deputy, and Velagić was a member of the criminal service of the HVO Military Police in Livno.

They are accused of participating in a joint criminal enterprise from April to September 1992, the aim of which was the violent permanent displacement of the Serb population from the Livno area.

Andabak and Jašarević, as superiors, participated in and enabled members of the HVO Military Police to participate in beatings, interrogations, various forms of torture, and killings of civilians detained in the "Ivan Goran Kovačić" school, as stated.

Several detainees died as a result of torture, and the indictment states that their bodies were found later, but burned.

Prosecutor Lejla Konjić said that she plans to prove the allegations of the indictment by hearing 86 witnesses, one forensic medicine expert, reading the statements of two deceased witnesses, and introducing 123 material pieces of evidence.

Konjić emphasized that the witnesses will describe in detail the torture they were subjected to in the "Ivan Goran Kovačić" school, as well as the daily searches and detentions both at the school and at the police premises. She pointed out that about 300 Serb civilians were detained in the school.

Bajro Čilić, the defense attorney for Andabak and Jašarević, said that he will prove that his clients were at the bottom of the hierarchical ladder, and that "they were not at the level where decisions are made."

He also emphasized that the security situation at the time was difficult and that "the Military Police had to stop someone."

The defense for the third defendant stated that they will not present an opening statement and will comment on the evidence after the Prosecution.

The continuation of the trial will be scheduled later.