Trial for crimes in Pale to begin

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The trial of Malko Koroman, accused of crimes against humanity committed in Pale, is scheduled to begin next week in the State Court.

The indictment charges Malko Koroman that, while serving as the head of the Public Security Station (SJB) Pale from the end of March to December 1992, he failed to take measures to protect civilians of Bosniak nationality who were unlawfully detained and held in inhumane conditions, and that he knew about, approved of, and participated in the committed crimes.

According to the BiH Prosecutor's Office, Koroman, along with members of the army, organized and led the attack on the village of Hrenovica and surrounding areas, where houses were burned and destroyed, and a large number of civilians were captured. Subsequently, about 35 men were separated, transported, and unlawfully detained in the gymnasium, where they were tortured, beaten, and abused.

The start of the retrial in the case of "Ivan Kraljević and others" is planned for next week before the Appellate Panel of the Court of BiH, in which the accused are charged with crimes committed in the Military-Investigation Prison (VIZ) located in the police building in Ljubuški.

By the first-instance verdict from August 2018, Kraljević was sentenced to two years in prison, Mato Jelčić to a year and a half, Stojan Odak to seven, and Vice Bebek and Vinko Radišić to one year in prison each, while Slavko Skender and Dragan Miloš were acquitted by the same decision, writes BIRN.

In June 2018, the Appellate Panel granted the Defense's appeals, overturned this verdict, and ordered a new trial.

Next week, trials for crimes committed in Vlasenica, Foča, Goražde, Višegrad, Trnovo, Kalinovik, Zvornik, Orašje, Konjic, Srebrenica, Donji Vakuf, Milići, Sarajevo, Ilijaš, Stolac, and Vitez will continue.