Indictment filed for war crimes against Bosniaks of Zvornik, SDS MP in RS National Assembly Dragomir Vasić among the accused

(Patria) - Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes has filed an indictment against Dragan Spasojević, born in 1965 in the municipality of Zvornik, previously convicted, a citizen of BiH and the Republic of Serbia, Vinko Radović, born in 1959 in the municipality of Zvornik, a citizen of BiH and the Republic of Serbia, Dragomir Vasić, born in 1964 in Tuzla, a citizen of BiH and the Republic of Serbia, Petko Panić, born in 1952 in the municipality of Zvornik, a citizen of BiH and the Republic of Serbia.

The accused are charged that, during the war and armed conflict in BiH, in late May and early June 1992, in their capacity as officials of civilian, military, and police authorities, they acted contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law by violating the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the protection of civilians during war.
They are accused of participating in a widespread and systematic attack on the Bosniak civilian population in the area of Zvornik and its surroundings, during which, as co-perpetrators, they planned and committed, and assisted in the planning, preparation, and commission of the forced displacement of several thousand Bosniak civilians from the area of the villages of Đulići, Klisa, and surrounding villages, inhumane treatment of them, as well as unlawful detention of a part of this population. During the persecution of the population, the murders of several Bosniak civilians were committed.

Accused Panić Petko is also charged with the unlawful separation of about 600 Bosniak men and boys, aged 15 to 70, including at least 28 children and minors, from their family members, who were transported and unlawfully detained in the Technical School Center in Kalesija.

According to the indictment, accused Panić Petko is charged with inhumane treatment of the Bosniak civilian population, and personally with police officers under his command, together with unidentified Serb soldiers, participated in the separation of the aforementioned civilians from their family members, thereby knowingly causing great suffering and serious psychological injuries to the separated men and their present family members.

The accused are charged with committing the criminal offense - crimes against humanity under Article 172 of the Criminal Code of BiH. The prosecution will prove the allegations by calling 204 witnesses, including 5 witnesses under protection measures, as well as over 430 material evidence.

The indictment has been forwarded to the Court of BiH for confirmation.

Vasić was previously indicted for genocide in Srebrenica as the head of the Zvornik Public Security Center, and was finally acquitted last year along with four other former police officers. Last week, Vasić had a hearing regarding the lawsuit he filed against BiH after the acquittal for genocide. He is seeking 43,000 KM from the state as compensation for non-material damages due to mental anguish and restricted freedoms.