Genocide Trials: How the Police Station in Srebrenica Was Established in 1995

In the continuation of the genocide trial in Srebrenica, a witness for the BiH Prosecutor's Office testified that the accused Dragomir Vasić spent three days in Bratunac and Srebrenica in July 1995 with the aim, as he told him, of establishing a police station in Srebrenica, BIRN reported, as carried by the Patria news agency.

- An order came from the minister to establish a station in Srebrenica. We set off on July 12, 1995. I was driving Dragomir Vasić at the time - said witness Luka Stevanović, who was Vasić's driver, then chief of the Zvornik Public Security Center (CJB).

Asked whether he was aware of what was happening in Srebrenica, the witness said that the media reported on the evening of July 11 that Srebrenica had been liberated.

Along with Vasić, the BiH Prosecutor's Office charges Miodrag Josipović, Branimir Tešić, Danilo Zoljić, and Radomir Pantić with genocide committed in Srebrenica in July 1995.

They are charged with participating in or aiding the forced displacement of the population from Srebrenica, the separation of men, as well as the capture and execution of men and boys in the areas of Bratunac, Srebrenica, and Zvornik.

According to the indictment, Josipović was the chief of the Public Security Station (SJB), and Tešić was the deputy commander of the Police Station in Bratunac. Vasić, it is stated, was the commander of the staff of police forces from Zvornik, Zoljić was the commander of special units of the CJB, and Pantić was the commander of the First Company of special units.

Witness Stevanović said that on July 12, he and Vasić first went to the Police Station in Bratunac, and that Vasić later "went towards the hotel across from the Police Station."

Asked whether he knew what was happening in the hotel, the witness said that others had said meetings were being held there.

According to the witness, Vasić's first task on July 12 was to meet with politicians to help him with the formation of the station in Srebrenica.

Stevanović recounted that on July 13, he and Vasić went to Srebrenica to the police station to appoint a chief and a commander.

- I know that Petko Pavlović was appointed chief - said the witness.

He added that they returned to Bratunac late in the afternoon and that he saw the army and police in Potočari.

- I saw a lot of things in Potočari, bundles on both the left and right sides at the entrance to Potočari. I assume it was the luggage of those people - said Stevanović.

He confirmed that during those days he saw the residents of the Srebrenica municipality being taken away by buses.

The witness added that they returned to Zvornik on the night of July 14 to 15.

The trial is scheduled to continue on August 20, NAP reports.