In every order of Dreković, the army is commanded to respect international humanitarian law

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The trial of Ramiz Dreković, former commander of the Fourth Corps, continued at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A witness for the BiH Prosecutor's Office testified in the courtroom, who among other things during the war was Dreković's assistant for legal affairs, as well as his deputy. He stated in the courtroom, among other things, that the Forward Command Post (FCP) was formed to command brigades in the Konjic area towards Bjelimići.

Ramiz Dreković is charged with issuing a direct, strictly confidential order in the spring of 1995 to artillery units in the wider area of the Konjic municipality to indiscriminately shell the town of Kalinovik, populated by residents of Serbian ethnicity. 

Witness Hamid Selimović completed reserve officer school, and from July 13, 1995, until the end of the war, he was the commander of the FCP.

He spoke about command responsibilities, as well as his military cooperation with General Dreković. Hamid Selimović, a witness for the BiH Prosecutor's Office, clearly stated that he received orders from the general, but confirmed that he could issue an order to fire on unobserved targets if intelligence data emerged. Again this time, the trial did not pass without objections from the defense; one concerned the fact that the witness was not questioned during the investigation about the same circumstances as today in the courtroom. 

The defense claims this shows that witnesses were questioned by police officers during the investigation phase instead of the prosecutor. This delays the process, because, as the lawyers say, they are the ones who must show the witness all evidence, which is also in written form. Mirsad Crnovršanin, lawyer for Ramiz Dreković, stated that the Prosecutor's Office had in its possession, i.e., used this evidence, which the defense uses during cross-examination, the indictment would not have been raised or confirmed because it concerns material evidence that completely excludes the guilt of the accused General Dreković.

In the orders presented to the witness today, among other things, it could be seen that in every order of General Dreković it is stated that the army must adhere to international humanitarian law, i.e., that command was based on the principle of moral values and principles relating to prisoners, and especially civilians. The witness himself stated that the Geneva Convention was respected.