Prosecutor's Office of BiH files multiple war crimes indictments

(Patria) - The Prosecutor's Office of BiH has filed an indictment against Keleštur Mensud, aka "Keli", born in 1959 in Zenica, and Jašarević Hazim, aka "Šimek", born in 1953 in Vitez. During the war and armed conflict between the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), they are accused of acting contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, in their capacity as commanders of the ARBiH.

The accused, Keleštura Mensud as commander of the 325th Mountain Brigade of the ARBiH and the accused Jašarević Hazim as commander of the Brigade Artillery Group of the same brigade, are accused of participating in an artillery attack on civilian facilities inhabited by persons of Croatian nationality on June 10, 1993. As a result of the mortar shelling (120 mm), eight children of Croatian nationality were killed by the explosion of a shell in a playground. Five of them died immediately, and three more died shortly after from their injuries. Five children who were in the playground were wounded.

They are charged with committing the criminal offense of War Crimes Against the Civilian Population under Article 173 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH has filed an indictment against: 1. Talić Nesib, born in 1955 in Travnik, 2. Karalić Jusuf, born in 1954 in Zenica, Delalić Našid, born in 1951 in Travnik, Sarajlić Sabahudin, born in 1967 in Busovača.

The accused are charged with acting contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, in their capacity as commanders and members of the military security and military police in the 7th Muslim Brigade of the Army of BiH, during the war and armed conflict in BiH. The indictment states that during 1993, in the premises of the Music School in Zenica, which served as a detention facility, dozens of civilians of Croatian and Serb nationality from Zenica and its surroundings were unlawfully brought and held in illegal detention, and were treated inhumanely, thereby causing them severe physical and mental pain and suffering, and were held in inhumane conditions.

The aforementioned crimes resulted in the death of two civilians, whose bodies were found and exhumed in the area of Zenica, as well as severe physical and psychological injuries to a larger number of detained civilians, who were denied medical assistance. The accused are charged with violating the provisions of international humanitarian law and committing the criminal offense -

War Crimes Against the Civilian Population under Article 173 of the Criminal Code of BiH.