Ratko Đurković Arrested on Suspicion of War Crimes

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Following an order from a prosecutor from the Special Department for War Crimes, SIPA police officers located and arrested Ratko Đurković, born in 1943, former commander of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Majevica Brigade of the VRS, in the Ugljevik area.

The suspect is under investigation in a case by the Special Department for War Crimes against suspects Đurković Ratko and Nedić Radomir, former commander of the 1st Majevica Brigade.

They are accused that, during a widespread and systematic attack on the Bosniak civilian population, knowing about this attack and that their actions were part of that attack, as VRS commanders who had effective control over their units, they failed to take measures to prevent the murder of civilians and prisoners, nor did they take action after the crime was committed to prosecute and punish the perpetrators for the crime committed in the village of Tursunovo Brdo, Teočak, Ugljevik municipality in July 1992.

During the attack, the military forces commanded by the suspects killed 4 civilians of Bosniak nationality, as well as two members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who had previously been captured.

The suspects are charged as commanders, for the criminal offenses of Crimes Against Humanity under Article 172, Paragraph 1, Point h) in conjunction with Point a) and War Crimes against Prisoners of War under Article 175, Paragraph 1, Point a) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, all in conjunction with Article 180, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Suspect Đurković has been deprived of his liberty and will be handed over to the acting prosecutor within the legal deadline, who will question him. Regarding suspect Nedić, the acting prosecutor will decide on further actions towards the suspect after all information and data about his health condition have been collected.