Closing arguments next week in trials for crimes in Bužim and Sarajevo

(Patria) - The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is scheduled to hear closing arguments from the Defense of Mehmed Alešević for crimes committed in Bužim next week, as well as in the case concerning the crime against prisoners of war committed in Veliki Park in Sarajevo.

On Monday, January 10, closing arguments from the Defense of Mehmed Alešević are scheduled. He is accused of inhumane treatment of prisoners of war and civilians detained in the former hotel “Radoč” in 1994 and 1995.

According to the indictment, Alešević was an official in the Military Police platoon of the 505th Bužim Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ABiH).

The State Prosecutor's Office previously requested a conviction for Alešević and a prison sentence.

On Friday, January 14, the closing arguments of the BiH Prosecutor's Office will continue before this court in the case against the accused for the crime against prisoners of war committed in Veliki Park in Sarajevo.

The Prosecutor's Office, which began its 110-page closing argument, stated that the presented evidence provides a reliable basis for finding Dragan Vikić, former commander of the Special Unit and commander of the Reserve Unit, Jusuf Pušina, former Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RBiH) for uniformed police, Nermin Uzunović, and Mladen Čovčić, former members of the Reserve Police Unit, guilty.

They are accused of being aware of the capture of eight members of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) from a broken-down transport vehicle located in the Dobrinja settlement of Sarajevo.

Closing arguments are also announced for Tuesday, January 11, in the case against Sena Hamzabegović, accused of participating in the collection and provision of financial aid for BiH citizens staying in foreign battlefields of Syria and Iraq between 2013 and 2018, despite knowing that these individuals were fighting for armed forces of the so-called ISIL, including “Jahbet al-Nusra”, “Al-Nusrah Front”, and other formations, which have been declared terrorist organizations based on United Nations (UN) resolutions.

According to the indictment, Hamzabegović traveled to Syria multiple times, knowing that her husband, Muradif Hamzabegović, was there, participating in terrorist activities with other BiH citizens, and that the money received was used to finance these activities. She repeatedly provided approximately 230,000 convertible marks (KM) through transaction accounts in EURO, KM, and CHF currencies, which she handed over to her husband.

Trials for war crimes committed in Višegrad, Goražde, Rogatica, Vlasenica, Zvornik, Ugljevik, Prijedor, and Glamoč will continue before the Court of BiH, BIRN reports.