Trial of Mato Baotić for Crimes in Orašje to Begin in February

The start of the trial of Mato Baotić for a war crime committed in Orašje has been scheduled for early February, as agreed at a status conference at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the evidentiary proceedings, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH announced 24 witnesses, two of whom requested protective measures.

Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić stated that they need about 19 working hours to present the proposed evidence, emphasizing the possibility that additional witnesses may be heard.

The defense of the accused Baotić will present the complete plan for presenting evidence after the Prosecutor's Office of BiH concludes. Defense attorney for the accused, Irena Pehar, announced that around 15 witnesses have been planned so far, none of whom requested protective measures.

Baotić is charged with, as the commander of the Military Police of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), and later as the commander of a camp located in the premises of the Elementary School in Donja Mahala, repeatedly raping and sexually abusing women of Serbian ethnicity.

According to the indictment, Baotić, along with other HVO members, took women from their homes or the camp to the premises of the Elementary School in Donja Mahala, where they were unlawfully detained, and raped them.

The trial of Marijan Brnjić has also begun before the Court of BiH, also for rape committed in June 1992 in the Bosanska Posavina area.

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH charges Brnjić with, as a member of the 102nd Brigade of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), on the night between June 4 and 5, forcibly bringing a woman of Serbian ethnicity to a bus station in Posavska Mahala in Odžak and then raping her, reported BIRN, as carried by the Patria news agency.

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