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Savic: Trial to start on August 12

Momir Savic

02 July 2008  At the status conference the State Prosecution and Momir Savic's Defence present their evidence presentation plans.

The trial of Momir Savic, who is charged with crimes against humanity in Visegrad in 1992, is due to start on August 12, when the indictment will be read. On the same day the State Prosecution and Defence will present their introductory arguments.

The State Prosecution charges Savic, as commander of the Third Squad with the Visegrad Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, with having participated, on several occasions, in the examination and beating of Bosniak civilians from Visegrad. He is also charged with having raped one person, who he "frequently visited in her house" and mistreated and threatened her from June to September 1992.

The Prosecution considers that the indictee and other VRS members took a group of Bosniak civilians from their houses in Drinsko village, Visegrad municipality, mistreated them and then shot them in Pusin Do forest in May 1992.

The indictment charges Savic with having shot a group of civilians from Dusce village. The civilians were then cremated.

The Prosecution will need about 45 working hours for the presentation of its evidence.

Prosecutor Adnan Gulamovic said that, in order to prove the allegations contained in the indictment, 33 witnesses and a medical court expert would be examined. He also announced that he would propose some "facts determined" by the Hague Tribunal to be included as material evidence.

"In case the Defence accepts the facts determined by the Hague Tribunal, we may reduce the number of witnesses, who will be examined in an attempt to prove the existence of a broad and systematic attack conducted by the VRS in the Visegrad area," Gulamovic said.

The Defence of Momir Savic announced the examination of "not less than 15 and not more than 20 witnesses" and the presentation of a few pieces of material evidence. As indicated by Defence attorney Dragan Medjovic, the time needed for the presentation of evidence "will be proportional to the time needed for the presentation of the Prosecution's evidence."

The State Prosecution made a proposal for the acceptance of some parts of the verdict against Mitar Vasiljevic as determined facts. The Defence said that this would "severely violate the right to a fair trial, direct presentation of evidence and the presumption of the indictee's innocence."

The Hague Tribunal pronounced a second instance verdict against Mitar Vasiljevic, sentencing him to 15 years imprisonment.

"Considering that my client is charged with crimes against humanity, the existence of a broad and systematic attack conducted by the VRS represents an important element. If the Trial Chamber decides to accept that as a previously determined fact, my client would automatically be pronounced guilty," Medjovic said.

The Trial Chamber will render a decision concerning the acceptance of the determined facts, contained in the ICTY verdicts, at a later stage.