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Savic: Special Persistence, Cruelty and Ruthlessness

Višegrad

09 June 2009  The State Prosecution calls for a long sentence for Momir Savic, charged with crimes committed in Visegrad.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina called on the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to find Momir Savic guilty of crimes committed in Visegrad in 1992 and sentence him to long-term imprisonment.

"The Prosecution considers that, on the basis of presented evidence, it has been proved that Savic committed crimes against humanity and that the Court will be able to render a fair decision," Prosecutor Adnan Gulamovic said.

Savic is charged as Commander of the Third Squad with the Visegrad Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, with having participated, on several occasions, in the interrogation and beating of detained Bosniak civilians from Visegrad. He is charged with having participated in the mistreatment and shooting of a group of civilians in Drinsko village in May 1992 and the shooting of a group of civilians from Dusce village, who were then cremated.

In addition he is charged with raping one person.

"The indictee was aware of the attack. He knew that his acts were part of that attack. Bosniak civilians were the primary, not an auxiliary target of the attack. The crime, committed by the indictee, was not an isolated act. It actually represented a model for other citizens and soldiers," Gulamovic said.

Analyzing the eight counts contained in the indictment and related evidence, Gulamovic said that the Defence had not challenged a single piece of evidence or argument presented by the Prosecution. He said the Defence had instead focused on proving a lack of criminal responsibility.

"The Defence can be explained in a few statements: 'I am not guilty, I did not know, I was not there...' The indictee's testimony was so contradictory in itself that it cannot be trusted. It is in contradiction to the Prosecution's evidence, but, to a great extent, also to the evidence presented by the Defence," Gulamovic said.

In his closing arguments the Prosecutor particularly mentioned the division between the indictee's individual and command responsibility, which, he said, could easily be made in this case.

"Savic personally mistreated Ramiz Guso at the Internal Affairs Service premises. He personally raped witness T.B. He personally killed Suad Kurtic..." Gulamovic said, adding that, in the case of the murder of civilians in Pusin Do forest and the looting and setting fire to houses in Meremislje village, the indictee "acted as a member of a group", which made him an accomplice in the crime.

Speaking about the indictee's command responsibility, the Prosecutor said that, in his capacity as Commander of the Third Squad, Savic had "de jure and de facto a superior position" and effective control over his subordinates. He failed to undertake any action to prevent or punish the perpetrators of the crimes committed by his subordinates.

The Prosecution considers that there are no mitigating circumstances in this case, while there is a large number of aggravating ones, including, among other things, "the special persistence, cruelty and ruthlessness" expressed while committing the crimes, which make its victims still suffer the consequences.

"The indictee has never expressed any regret for the crimes. On the contrary, he insulted the Prosecution witnesses and yelled in the courtroom, while trying to present himself as a quiet and stable person," Gulamovic said.

At the end of his closing arguments the Prosecution called on the Court to order the indictee into custody in case he is pronounced guilty. Savic has been defending himself while at liberty since December last year, when prohibiting measures were ordered against him. 

The Defence is due to present its closing arguments on June 25.