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Stupar et al: Indictee testifies

19 June 2008  One indictee testifies at the trial for the genocide in Srebrenica.

Aleksandar Radovanovic, one of the nine indictees, who are charged with the genocide in Srebrenica on July 13, 1995, testified as a Defence witness and described the events, which happened in July 1995.

The Prosecution considers that Aleksandar Radovanovic, Milos Stupar, Milenko Trifunovic, Brano Dzinic, Slobodan Jakovljevic, Velibor Maksimovic, Dragisa Zivanovic and Branislav Medan, who were former members of the Second Special Police Squad from Sekovici, and Milovan Matic, member of the Republika Srpska Amry, participated in the shooting of more than 1,000 Srebrenica residents in Kravica.

Prior to the start of the testimony, Dragan Gotovac, the indictee's Defence attorney, asked the Trial Chamber if one part of the examination could be conducted with no public presence as those were "very sensitive facts".

"The indictee might say some things, evaluations or statements about some people, which might not be benign in terms of the safety of the indictee's family. In addition, the identity of a closed witness may be disclosed," Gotovac said, explaining his request, which was approved by the Trial Chamber.

In the course of the open part of the hearing, Radovanovic said Rade Cuturic, known as Oficir, told him and other Special Police members to "go in the direction of the yellow bridge" in Srebrenica on July 12, 1995.

"It was said that some Muslim soldiers, who had not surrendered, were in the woods. Oficir told us how to treat potential prisoners, if we captured any in that area," Radovanovic said, adding that Cuturic was commander of the Second Squad at that time.

The Prosecution considers that indictee Milos Stupar was commander of the Second Squad in July 1995.
Radovanovic said that, after arriving to the yellow bridge, he was supposed to go "to Zvornik, to guard something," but, on his way to Zvornik, he stopped in Sandici.

The cross-examination conducted by the Prosecutor and other Defence attorneys was open to the public.
Answering other Defence attorney's questions, Radovanovic said that Velibor Maksimovic and Dragisa Zivanovic "did not go to the field" in Kravica and Sandici in July 1995.

Brano Dzinic and Branislav Medan were supposed to testify at this hearing as well. However, their Defence teams informed the Court that they would like to withdraw this proposal.

At the next hearing, scheduled for July 3, indictee Milenko Trifunovic is due to be examined.