Belgrade to probe WW2 Hungarian war criminal

The War Crimes Prosecution has filed a motion to launch an investigation into the actions of Hungarian national Sandor Kepiro, 94. Kepiro is charged with war crimes committed in the territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during the World War II occupation of the country. Belgrade to probe WW2 Hungarian war criminal The prosecution stated that the suspect has willingly and knowingly participated in the activities of the Hungarian occupation forces during the massacre known as the Novi Sad Raid, when at least 2,000 Serbs and Jews were killed with the purpose to annihilate the members of these ethnic groups. The raid lasted January 20-23, 1942. The statement issued in Belgrade on Wednesday says that the civilians were murdered in their houses, backyards, in the streets, the playgrounds and at the Orthodox cemetery. The mass and the most monstrous killings happened on the Danube River bank in Novi Sad, known as the Strand. With temperatures at around minus 30 degrees centigrade, the victims were taken to the previously cut holes in the ice of the frozen river, where they were killed with fire from infantry weapons. Their bodies were then dumped into the Danube. Before they met their deaths, the victims were stripped of their clothes, with all their valuables confiscated, the statement reads. The prosecution suspects that Kepiro had also, as a captain of the Hungarian gendarmerie, commanded patrols that tracked down and killed 42 Serb and Jewish civilians in Novi Sad's Cara Dusana, Futoska, and Nikole Tesle streets, all the way to the Sloboda Sq. Eleven of those victims were children. Kepiro is also suspected of issuing arrest warrants mostly for Serbs and Jews who were taken before the so-called Legitimization Board, but also in some instances killed. The prosecution started its pretrial proceedings in the case after the initiative from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem President Efraim Zuroff. The prosecution’ motion states that the court should allow the investigation to be launched, without Kepiro's physical presence, and that after the investigation the warrant for his arrest should follow. The prosecution will also ask the Ministry of Justice to send a request to Hungary for Kepiro’s extradition.

Belgrade to probe WW2 Hungarian war criminal

The prosecution stated that the suspect has willingly and knowingly participated in the activities of the Hungarian occupation forces during the massacre known as the Novi Sad Raid, when at least 2,000 Serbs and Jews were killed with the purpose to annihilate the members of these ethnic groups.

The raid lasted January 20-23, 1942.

The statement issued in Belgrade on Wednesday says that the civilians were murdered in their houses, backyards, in the streets, the playgrounds and at the Orthodox cemetery.

The mass and the most monstrous killings happened on the Danube River bank in Novi Sad, known as the Štrand.

With temperatures at around minus 30 degrees centigrade, the victims were taken to the previously cut holes in the ice of the frozen river, where they were killed with fire from infantry weapons.

Their bodies were then dumped into the Danube.

Before they met their deaths, the victims were stripped of their clothes, with all their valuables confiscated, the statement reads.

The prosecution suspects that Kepiro had also, as a captain of the Hungarian gendarmerie, commanded patrols that tracked down and killed 42 Serb and Jewish civilians in Novi Sad's Cara Dušana, Futoška, and Nikole Tesle streets, all the way to the Sloboda Sq.

Eleven of those victims were children.

Kepiro is also suspected of issuing arrest warrants mostly for Serbs and Jews who were taken before the so-called Legitimization Board, but also in some instances killed.

The prosecution started its pretrial proceedings in the case after the initiative from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem President Efraim Zuroff.

The prosecution’ motion states that the court should allow the investigation to be launched, without Kepiro's physical presence, and that after the investigation the warrant for his arrest should follow.

The prosecution will also ask the Ministry of Justice to send a request to Hungary for Kepiro’s extradition.