Guards in Hadžići behaved correctly towards captured Serbs

On the third day of testimony at the trial for crimes committed in the Hadžići municipality area, Zvonko Marić stated that prisoners from whom he took statements confirmed that the guards behaved correctly towards them, BIRN reported, as carried by the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Video recordings were also shown in the courtroom in which prisoners speak about correct treatment, as well as representatives of the “Silos” prison.

- Everything is correct, the relationship between the guards and the administration, I cannot say anything negative. They give as much food as there is - says one of the prisoners in the recording shown in the courtroom.

In the recordings, prisoners also state that they perform work voluntarily.

- Everything is on a voluntary basis – as much as possible, that much is done, there is no coercion - said one of the captives.

One female prisoner stated that there were intrusions by soldiers from outside, who mistreated prisoners, and that she was stripped naked.

Answering questions from the Defense of Halid Čović, Marić, who at the time was a journalist and member of the Crisis Staff, recounted that from May 1992 he continuously entered “Silos” and filmed prisoners.

- Prisoners received food from their families. That was a point of contention between the prison administration and the local population. They considered it a kind of privilege - said the witness.

Marić recounted that he witnessed a case when soldiers of the Rijeka Brigade forcibly entered after driving out the warden and guards, and that the police intervened afterwards.

For crimes committed in the Hadžići municipality area, Mustafa Đelilović, Fadil Čović, Mirsad Šabić, Nezir Kazić, Bećir Hujić, Halid Čović, Šerif Mešanović and Nermin Kalember are being tried, who, according to the indictment, were members of military and police authorities, wardens or guards in camps.

They are charged with unlawful imprisonment, inhumane treatment, physical and mental suffering, and taking detainees to forced labor.

The witness said that the people did not allow the camp to be disbanded because they were seeking information about young men from Hadžići who had gone missing.

- They said: “Give us the missing, dead or alive” Marić stated.

The continuation of the trial is scheduled for November 19, NAP writes.