Three decades without an indictment for the siege and crimes against Sarajevo and its citizens

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo, the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide has prepared a summary of the ICTY/MICT judgments related to crimes in besieged Sarajevo.

The brochure contains the most important final and definitive conclusions of the ICTY/MICT regarding the siege of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from four judgments - Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić, Stanislav Galić was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Dragomir Milošević to 29 years.

The judgments against Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić, Stanislav Galić, and Dragomir Milošević contain a chronology of events related to the siege of Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995, the character and objectives of the siege of Sarajevo, specific incidents of sniping and shelling, general evidence on the character of shelling and sniping, conclusions on plans, preparations, political and military control of the siege, the participation and contribution of the FRY/Serbia in the creation and support of the siege, conclusions on the significance of Sarajevo for the Serb political and military leadership, conclusions that the siege of Sarajevo is a crime against humanity realized through a Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE), and conclusions on criminal responsibility.

The conclusions from the aforementioned judgments are significant and important because everyone can become acquainted with and learn how and in what way judgments on crimes during the Sarajevo siege were made. It was a difficult and arduous judicial process with tens of thousands of pieces of evidence and hundreds of witnesses. The legal battle at the ICTY/MICT lasted for over 25 years, during which the parties presented their arguments in accusing or defending the convicted war criminals. We have only used conclusions from final judgments related to crimes committed during the siege of Sarajevo.

From the brochure, you will be able to learn how war criminals defended themselves. How they claimed that the city of Sarajevo was a legitimate military target, that the citizens of Sarajevo were not civilians, that Sarajevo was not under siege and that the siege was actually carried out by the legal organs of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that Markale and most of the attacks on the citizens of Sarajevo through sniping and shelling were actually self-inflicted attacks by the citizens of Sarajevo on themselves, that the shells were planted explosives in markets, squares, in our homes and schools, that playing football in the besieged city was not allowed without FIFA's approval, war criminals said during trials that the siege was fabricated and that no crime was committed against the citizens of Sarajevo.

The positions of more than 30 ICTY/MICT judges from final proceedings for the siege, in which they analyzed defense witnesses, have been specifically highlighted. All of them were declared unreliable and irrelevant, and even linked to crimes in Sarajevo.

The Association pointed out parts that clearly state the names of responsible commanders and perpetrators of crimes, organizational structures, subordination, and the operational system of snipers and mortar crews, as well as specific names.

"They live among us, safe and protected from prosecution in BiH. In the brochure and conclusions, you can also read various testimonies about brutal murders, the conduct of representatives of the international community, and the courage of witnesses to testify in court. Witnesses are the heroes of these judgments. You will learn that among these heroic witnesses are also a team of experts from the institutions of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina who conducted investigations under the most difficult circumstances and then bravely testified multiple times before the ICTY/MICT. You will also learn how dedicated the work of ICTY/MICT investigators and prosecutors, and our institutions that cooperated with the ICTY/MICT, was. We are publishing the brochure on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the siege for which there is not a single indictment in BiH, not even an investigation. The brochure is also an attempt to animate the BiH Prosecutor's Office and prosecutors in BiH who only need to read the ICTY/MICT judgments and prioritize Annex B of the Revised Strategy, according to which over 300 cases from the A list are a roadmap PRIORITY, and among them are snipers as well as persons responsible for the siege. It is a tragic and unacceptable fact that we are waiting and will continue to wait for the perpetrators of the crimes of the Sarajevo siege to be held accountable, and perhaps they were 'yesterday' in some 'world war' and today they are in Ukraine or waiting for an opportunity to shoot again and sow death in Sarajevo," stated the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide.

You can download the brochure from the website at the link http://www.tortura.ba or via the Facebook page of the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide.