Serb witnesses fail to appear at Ademi, Norac trial

None of the three witnesses taken prisoner in <a href="http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=09&dd=10&nav_category=113&nav_id=43655" class="text-link" target= "_blank">the Medak Pocket </a>in 1993 appeared in court Monday.

Izvor: Beta

Tuesday, 25.09.2007.

11:56

Default images

None of the three witnesses taken prisoner in the Medak Pocket in 1993 appeared in court Monday. The trial of former Croatian Army generals Rahim Ademi and Mirko Norac, charged with war crimes committed against Serb civilians and prisoners in the Medak Pocket in September 1993, was to hear the testimonies of former members of Serb forces held captive during the operation Serb witnesses fail to appear at Ademi, Norac trial However, police informed the court it was unable to locate witnesses Djura Dmitrovic and Nikola Buljo, while Vladimir Divjak who is residing in Norway, sent a letter to the court saying he could not appear to testify as he was barred from entering Croatia. Dmitrovic, Buljo and Divjak are former members of Serb units marked as paramilitary by Croatian authorities, who were taken prisoner during the Medak Pocket offensive carried out by the Croatian military against villages around Gospic from September 9 to September 17. The Zagreb District Court Trial Chamber leading the trial proceedings against Ademi and Norac, confirmed on Monday it would try to find the addresses of the two unavailable witnesses and hear Divjak’s testimony via video link. Buljo and Divjak gave written testimonies during the investigation where they described the abuse they had been subjected to, upon surrendering to the Croatian Army and Military Police. Buljo said at the time he had been hanged by the wrists, whipped across the back, with salt rubbed into his wounds. Divjak said that members of the Military Police threw several hand grenades at the prisoners and beat survivors with bats and rifle butts. Presiding Judge Marin Mrcela announced that the testimonies of 28 protected witnesses would commence on October 22.

Serb witnesses fail to appear at Ademi, Norac trial

However, police informed the court it was unable to locate witnesses Đura Dmitrović and Nikola Buljo, while Vladimir Divjak who is residing in Norway, sent a letter to the court saying he could not appear to testify as he was barred from entering Croatia.

Dmitrović, Buljo and Divjak are former members of Serb units marked as paramilitary by Croatian authorities, who were taken prisoner during the Medak Pocket offensive carried out by the Croatian military against villages around Gospić from September 9 to September 17.

The Zagreb District Court Trial Chamber leading the trial proceedings against Ademi and Norac, confirmed on Monday it would try to find the addresses of the two unavailable witnesses and hear Divjak’s testimony via video link.

Buljo and Divjak gave written testimonies during the investigation where they described the abuse they had been subjected to, upon surrendering to the Croatian Army and Military Police.

Buljo said at the time he had been hanged by the wrists, whipped across the back, with salt rubbed into his wounds.

Divjak said that members of the Military Police threw several hand grenades at the prisoners and beat survivors with bats and rifle butts.

Presiding Judge Marin Mrčela announced that the testimonies of 28 protected witnesses would commence on October 22.

Komentari 2

Pogledaj komentare

2 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: