54 Years in Prison Confirmed for Execution of at Least 74 Bosniak Civilians near Ključ

(Patria) - The Appellate Panel of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rejected the appeals of the state Prosecutor's Office and the defense as unfounded, and confirmed the first-instance verdict sentencing Boško Unčanin, Marinko Miljević, and Dragan Despot to a total of 54 years in prison for their participation in the murders of at least 74 civilians on June 1, 1992, in Velagići near Ključ.

The first-instance verdict of the Court of BiH sentenced Unčanin, Miljević, and Despot to 18 years in prison each, and they were found guilty of crimes against humanity, specifically for participating, as members of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), in the persecution of the civilian Bosniak population in the Ključ area.

The Appellate Panel rejected the appeal of protected witness "A", whose request was partially granted by the First-Instance Panel, ordering Unčanin, Miljević, and Despot to jointly pay him 20,000 KM for inflicted mental anguish due to the loss of his father and two brothers. Other injured parties were referred to civil proceedings.

The first-instance verdict states that men from Vojići, Hasići, Nezići, Hadžići, and other hamlets of Velagići were summoned on June 1 to a checkpoint, where they were detained and subsequently imprisoned in the old school.

In the evening, they were called out and lined up against a wall, while the accused and other soldiers formed a semicircle and opened fire, killing at least 74 civilians. The bodies were transported to the mass grave "Lanište dva", which was exhumed in 1996.

Unčanin and Despot did not appear for the sentencing, and the Court ordered their detention and issued warrants as they were not found at their registered addresses. Unčanin was arrested in mid-last year at the border crossing in Bijeljina, while Miljević was serving a sentence for another offense at the time of the sentencing.
At the appellate hearing in mid-January, the Prosecution requested longer sentences, while the defense sought the acquittal or annulment of the verdict, but the appeals were ultimately rejected.

No appeal is allowed against this verdict.