Mensur Đakić Arrested on Suspicion of War Crimes

Acting on the order of a prosecutor from the Special Department for War Crimes of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, police officers of the Brčko District BiH Police have apprehended suspect Đakić Mensur, born on 08/25/1949 in Brčko, a citizen of BiH.

The suspect is under investigation by the BiH Prosecutor's Office and is suspected of having acted contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons and Prisoners of War during the war in BiH, as the commander of the 1st Battalion of the Brčko HVO 108th Brigade.

He is accused that, in his capacity as commander of the 1st Battalion of the HVO 108th Brigade of Bosanska Posavina, during an attack in the village of Bukvik on September 15, 1992, he failed to prevent a member of the 4th Company of the 1st Battalion from murdering 3 captured wounded persons of Serb nationality, Radić Živan, Purić Vlajko, and Veselinović Savo, and after the soldier he commanded committed the murders, he failed to punish the perpetrator. Furthermore, on September 14, 1992, as the battalion commander of the HVO 108th Brigade, he personally killed a prisoner of war of Serb nationality, Janko Maričić.

Suspect Đakić is accused of committing the criminal offense of war crimes against prisoners of war.

Following his apprehension, the Brčko District BiH police forces will escort the suspect for questioning by a prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, who will, after questioning the suspect, decide on proposing the imposition of pre-trial detention or prohibiting measures, in accordance with the law.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office, in cooperation with the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the Brčko District BiH Police, and the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs, will continue the investigation to establish criminal responsibility for the murders of approximately 50 civilians of Serb nationality in the village of Bukvik in 1992.