Court of BiH: First-instance verdict to be pronounced tomorrow against VRS members for persecution, torture and murder of at least 100 civilians of Prijedor

(Patria) - The Court of BiH will pronounce a first-instance verdict tomorrow in the case against Milodrag Glušac, Ranko Babić, Ranko Došenović, Zdravko Panić, Trivo Vukić, Milan Vukić, Slobodan Knežević and Milorad Obradović, reports Faktor.

All of them are charged with the criminal offense of crimes against humanity, i.e., for participation in the unlawful capture and imprisonment of 120 men in the Dom in Miska Glava, and then at the stadium in Ljubija, as well as their torture and murders committed at the end of July 1992.

The confirmed indictment charges them that in the period from July 27 to 30, 1992, or around that date, they participated in a widespread and systematic attack by the army and police of the so-called Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and later the RS, directed against the Bosniak and Croat population of the Prijedor municipality.

"Knowing of this attack and that their actions formed part of that attack, consciously and significantly contributing to the joint criminal enterprise of the civilian and military authorities of the Prijedor municipality, they participated in the persecution of civilians of Bosniak and Croat nationality from the area of the Prijedor municipality, i.e., the villages of Rizvanovići, Rakovčani, Zecovi, Čarakovo, Hambarine, Bišćani, Briševo, Kozarac, as well as from other places in the Prijedor municipality.

They did this through unlawful imprisonment and deprivation of liberty, persecution on discriminatory grounds, based on national, political and religious affiliation.

As part of this, they committed acts of murder, torture, resettlement and deportation, which resulted in the murder of at least 100 civilians of Bosniak nationality," the indictment states.

Milodrag Glušac is charged with having committed the crimes as deputy commander of the 6th Ljubija Battalion of the 43rd VRS Brigade, Ranko Došenović was assistant commander for security, Ranko Babić was the first operative of the battalion and advisor to commander Rade Bilbija, and the other accused are members of the said battalion, i.e., members of the military and civilian police.

The pronouncement of the verdict is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 4 of the Court of BiH.