New evidence in Dobrovoljačka case

The Interior Ministry (MUP) of the Serb Republic (RS) has collected new pieces of evidence in the Dobrovoljacka Street case, it was announced in Banja Luka. They will forward to International Prosecutor Jude Romano who in January suspended the investigation into crimes in connection with the case, head of the MUP RS team in charge of war crimes investigations Simo Tusevljak has said. New evidence in Dobrovoljacka case He noted that new pieces of evidence were obtained following the prosecutor's decision to suspend the investigation into the crimes committed in Dobrovoljacka Street in Sarajevo, and subsequent challenge to the decision. A total of 42 members of the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) were killed, 73 were wounded, and 215 were imprisoned in Dobrovoljacka Street in Sarajevo, when the were ambushed as they were withdrawal from the town on May 3, 1992. “According to the Criminal Code (ZKP) of Bosnia-Herzegovina, as soon as we submit the evidence to the prosecutor, the investigation should be re-launched,” he explained. Tusevljak underlined a great mistake of lawmakers who did not set the time frame, in which the challenge to the decision should be considered, and the decision on that delivered. Tusevljak said that the new facts and pieces of evidence in the Dobrovoljacka case will be submitted in about ten days. “According to Article 224 (paragraph 3) of the Bosnia Criminal Code, whenever the authorities come up with new facts and pieces of evidence, the prosecutor should automatically re-launch the investigation,” Tusevljak said for the Banjaluka-based daily Glas Srpske. He noted that following the prosecutor's decision to suspend the investigation into the Dobrovoljacka Street case, new witnesses contacted the MUP, coming forward with pieces of evidence. Speaking about the investigation into the 1992 attack on the JNA convoy that was leaving the town of Tuzla in eastern Bosnia, which former chief of the Special Department for War Crimes with the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina David Schwendiman decided to suspend prior to his departure from Bosnia in December 2009, Tusevljak recalled that a challenge to the decision was put forward two years ago, but there has been no response so far. “On top of that, The Hague Tribunal flagged this case as 'A', which means there is sufficient evidence to bring an indictment. This poses a precedent, and it is also the first time in Bosnia, that a prosecutor has decided to suspend the investigation into a 'category A case',” Tusevljak underlined. To his mind, this means that the Bosnia justice system is questioning the evidence and decisions by the ICTY, which has never happened in cases involving crimes against non-Serbs. Tanjug Glas Srpske

New evidence in Dobrovoljačka case

He noted that new pieces of evidence were obtained following the prosecutor's decision to suspend the investigation into the crimes committed in Dobrovoljačka Street in Sarajevo, and subsequent challenge to the decision.

A total of 42 members of the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) were killed, 73 were wounded, and 215 were imprisoned in Dobrovoljačka Street in Sarajevo, when the were ambushed as they were withdrawal from the town on May 3, 1992.

“According to the Criminal Code (ZKP) of Bosnia-Herzegovina, as soon as we submit the evidence to the prosecutor, the investigation should be re-launched,” he explained.

Tuševljak underlined a great mistake of lawmakers who did not set the time frame, in which the challenge to the decision should be considered, and the decision on that delivered.

Tuševljak said that the new facts and pieces of evidence in the Dobrovoljačka case will be submitted in about ten days. “According to Article 224 (paragraph 3) of the Bosnia Criminal Code, whenever the authorities come up with new facts and pieces of evidence, the prosecutor should automatically re-launch the investigation,” Tuševljak said for the Banjaluka-based daily Glas Srpske.

He noted that following the prosecutor's decision to suspend the investigation into the Dobrovoljačka Street case, new witnesses contacted the MUP, coming forward with pieces of evidence.

Speaking about the investigation into the 1992 attack on the JNA convoy that was leaving the town of Tuzla in eastern Bosnia, which former chief of the Special Department for War Crimes with the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina David Schwendiman decided to suspend prior to his departure from Bosnia in December 2009, Tuševljak recalled that a challenge to the decision was put forward two years ago, but there has been no response so far.

“On top of that, The Hague Tribunal flagged this case as 'A', which means there is sufficient evidence to bring an indictment. This poses a precedent, and it is also the first time in Bosnia, that a prosecutor has decided to suspend the investigation into a 'category A case',” Tuševljak underlined.

To his mind, this means that the Bosnia justice system is questioning the evidence and decisions by the ICTY, which has never happened in cases involving crimes against non-Serbs.