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Selimovic et al: Night-time Beatings in Corridor

Selimović i ostali

10 March 2010  Darko Petrusic and Ljubo Bojic, former members of the Republika Spska Army, say that detainees were beaten in "Adil Ruznic" military barracks in Bihac in 1995.

"Military police officer Emir met us when we arrived at the barracks in Bihac. They put about twenty of us in a small room. The room was so small we could not even lie down. We would just squat or stand. This is how we slept as well," witness Darko Petrusic said, testifying for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the trial of three indictees, who are charged with crimes committed in Bosanska Krajina.

Petrusic said that "almost everyone treated him well" when he was in Bihac, adding that he was never beaten during the course of his detention.

"I was never beaten, but some people were brutally beaten. This usually happened due to their statements and questioning, we had to undergo almost every day. If someone did not know the answers, he was probably beaten. I did not know all the answers, but I kept talking. I did not want to be beaten," Petrusic said, adding that "guard Emir" once hit him with a police truncheon, but "it was not so bad".  

Mehura Selimovic, Adil Ruznic and Emir Mustafic are charged with the torture and detention of civilians and prisoners-of-war, members of the Republika Srpska Army and police, and forcing people to serve enemy forces.

The indictment alleges that Selimovic and Ruznic supported and abetted the detention of civilians and prisoners-of-war in "Adil Besic" military barracks, "Park" hotel and "Luke" prison in Bihac, as well as the premises of "Rad" car mechanic workshop in Cazin and Plastic Factory in Bosanski Petrovac. The indictment further alleges that living conditions in those detention centers were extremely bad.

Ljubo Bojic, who was detained, together with Petrusic, in "Adil Ruznic" military barracks in Bihac in 1995, told the Court the conditions were "bearable", but the worst things that happened were night-time beatings.

"Two guards would come in the middle of the night. They would take one of us out of the cell. And this was it. We knew what would happen next. They started beating the person in front of the cell, in the corridor. Those of us who stayed in the cell would just listen to the cries, wailing, cursing...and this kept going on and on," Bojic recalled, adding that the beaten prisoners often told him that "guard Emir" had beaten the most brutally.  

Both witnesses identified indictees Adil Ruznic and Emir Mustafic as Manager and guard in the detention camp where they were held.  

The indictment alleges that Selimovic was Operations Officer, Counter-intelligence Officer and Deputy Chief of the Military Security Service Section with the Command of the Fifth Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Ruznic was Assistant Commander for Intelligence Affairs and Operations Officer at the same Section. The indictment further alleges that Mustafic was a member of the Military Police Squad with the Fifth Corps at the same time.

The next hearing is due to take place on March 17, 2010.