Osman Mehmedagić Verdict Today at 12 PM

The trial of the Director of the Intelligence-Security Agency Osman Mehmedagić and OSA employee Muhamed Pekić for abuse of office, in the case of the exclusion of video surveillance recordings from BH Pošta to determine the identity of the sender of an anonymous criminal complaint against Mehmedagić, concluded today with the presentation of closing arguments by the BiH Prosecutor's Office and the defense attorneys. The pronouncement of the verdict, according to Judge Branko Perić, will be at 12 PM today.

The prosecution requested a guilty verdict and a five-year ban from holding office, as well as the revocation of access to classified information. The defense is seeking a complete dismissal of the charges and acquittal.

The trial began on December 18, 2020, when the indictment was read, and prosecutor Oleg Čavka stated in his opening statement that this was a simple indictment and a textbook example of abuse of office.

He stated that OSA collects data on individuals significant to BiH's security, but also gathers a lot of information that is not significant. He added that the law mandates the destruction of such information under the director's supervision, but that we are witnessing the "uncontrolled leakage" of such data, as well as its use for blackmail and discipline. Specifically, the excluded video surveillance recordings in the form of photographs were published on the portal Istraga.ba, along with the incorrect identity of the person in the photograph, thereby compromising the safety of that person and their family.

According to the prosecutor, Mehmedagić and Pekić used the agency for intra-party accusations. According to the prosecutor, the privatization of the agency must stop.

Judge Branko Perić actively participated in this court proceeding, frequently asking questions to the witnesses who appeared in this case. He also rejected several witnesses proposed by the prosecutor because their testimony would not have related to the allegations in the indictment. Prosecutor Čavka himself withdrew some witnesses, while the defense did not call any witnesses. All witnesses who appeared before the BiH Court in this case were cross-examined by the defense, or the defense had no questions at all.

Osman Mehmedagić's lawyer, Senka Nožica, stated after the first hearing on December 18 that "this is a classic example of a fabricated political process aimed at removing Mehmedagić from the position of OSA Director, and that besides this indictment, there is another one against him, and that three investigations are ongoing against Mehmedagić."

On February 17, the BiH Prosecutor's Office filed a new indictment against Osman Mehmedagić, Selma Cikotić, and Muriz Drušković related to appointments to the Commission for Appeals in the Security Clearance Procedure for Police and State Officials. The BiH Court refused to confirm the first indictment filed by the BiH Prosecutor's Office in this case, and the BiH Prosecutor's Office undertook additional investigative actions and filed a new indictment.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office is still investigating the diploma of the head of OSA, which he allegedly obtained in 2013 from the American University in BiH, and which he declared a secret document. While investigating this diploma, the BiH Prosecutor's Office gained numerous insights into the illegal activities of AU in BiH in the Sarajevo Canton area, involving numerous SDA officials from several institutions who appeared as lecturers or deans. This is an extensive investigation that could result in indictments against multiple individuals.