Indictment filed for crimes in Križančevo Selo

(Patria) - A total of eight defendants are charged with war crimes against prisoners of war and the civilian population, committed by the murder of at least 12 HVO soldiers who had previously surrendered, as well as two women of Croatian nationality in Križančevo Selo near Vitez on December 22, 1993. The prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes of the BiH Prosecutor's Office has filed an indictment against:

1. Ibrahim Purić, aka "Ibro", born in 1953 in Dolac,
2. Ibrahim Tarahija, born in 1959 in Vitez,
3. Nijaz Sivre, born in 1957 in Vitez,
4. Rušit Nurković, born in 1958 in Seošnica, Montenegro,
5. Almir Sarajlić, known as "Roki", born in 1968 in Travnik,
6. Šaćir Omanović, born in 1973 in Vitez,
7. Kasim Kavazović, born in 1972 in Travnik,
8. Sadik Omanović, born in 1968 in Vitez.

The defendants are charged that during the war and armed conflict between the Army of RBiH and HVO, in their capacity as commanders and members of the Army of RBiH from the area of Central Bosnia and Vitez, defendant Purić as commander of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH and commander of the Tactical Group (TG) North of the 3rd Corps of the Army of RBiH, defendant Tarahija as commander of the III Battalion of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH, defendant Sivro as assistant commander for security of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH, defendant Nurković as assistant commander for morale, information-propaganda activities (IPD) and religious affairs (VP) of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH, and the remaining four defendants as members of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH, acted contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the protection of prisoners of war and civilian persons during war.

They are accused of war crimes committed against victims of Croatian nationality in the locality of Križančevo Selo, Šafradin, and Dubravica, where on December 22, 1993, at least 12 captured members of the HVO who had previously surrendered were killed, as well as two civilian women of Croatian nationality, and property was looted and destroyed. The bodies of the murdered were exchanged 40 days after the crime.

Furthermore, some of the suspects, in their capacity as commanders of Army of RBiH units, are charged with directly participating in the commission of crimes and with failing to take action to prevent the crimes and prosecute and punish the perpetrators.

The mentioned war crime represents one of the greatest sufferings of victims of Croatian nationality in the area of Vitez and its surroundings during the past war, where dozens of victims were killed in an attack, and property was looted and destroyed.

The defendants are charged with the criminal offense of war crimes against prisoners of war under Article 175 of the Criminal Code of BiH and war crimes against the civilian population under Article 173 of the Criminal Code of BiH.

The indictment has been forwarded for confirmation to the Court of BiH, it was announced by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH.