Indictment filed against three individuals for war crimes in Bosanski Novi, 26 Bosniaks killed

The Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH filed an indictment against:

- K.S., born on 10/17/1970 in Crna Rijeka, Bosanski Novi,
- K.Z., born on 07/04/1973 in Crna Rijeka, Bosanski Novi, and
- B.D., born on 03/14/1955 in Jošava, Bosanski Novi.

The accused are charged with having, in June 1992, as part of a widespread and systematic attack by the Army of Republika Srpska BiH, Territorial Defense, military police, and paramilitary formations on the civilian population, along with other individuals, committed the persecution of the Bosniak population from the hamlets of Ekići and Alići, through killings, forced displacement of the population, and torture.

They are accused of having, armed with firearms, together with over twenty other armed individuals, attacked the Bosniak civilian population of the hamlets of Maslovare, Alići, and Ekići villages, killing one person on the way, and upon arrival at the settlement, forcing civilians out of their homes, during which two people were killed.

The expelled civilians were taken in a column to the Orthodox cemetery, during which the men were physically abused, beaten with hands, feet, and various objects, while women and children watched, after which the men were separated and taken to the Muslim cemetery where they were ordered to dig a mass grave, and then, by order, together with other individuals, they were shot, resulting in the deaths of 24 civilians, who were then buried.

Most of the bodies of those killed at the time were exhumed in 1996 and thrown into the mouth of the Japre and Sana rivers, so that parts of human bones of three individuals were found at the mouth of the Japre and downstream. The exhumation of the mentioned grave found and identified the bodies of 6 individuals, while the bodies of other individuals thrown into the river have not been found to this day.

The accused are charged with committing the criminal offense of Crime Against Humanity under Article 172, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH, in conjunction with Article 29 of the Criminal Code of BiH, all in conjunction with Article 180, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH.