ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The trial of eight Serbs charged with war crimes against civilians resumed before the County Court in the eastern town of Vukovar on Wednesday with the hearing of new witnesses.
ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The trial of eight Serbs charged with war
crimes against civilians resumed before the County Court in the
eastern town of Vukovar on Wednesday with the hearing of new
witnesses.#L#
The eight are accused of ordering the killing of civilians and
participating in the torture and maltreatment of prisoners held at the
fire station and the police station in Borovo near Vukovar from August
1 to September 13, 1991.
The trial began on January 9 this year. The accused are Jovan Curcic,
Milos Drzaic, Dusko Misic, Zeljko Savic, Dragan Savic (son of Bogdan),
Mladen Maksimovic, Dragan Savic (son of Cedo) and Jovica Vucenovic.
The first five defendants were present at the hearing while the others
are on the run and are being tried in absence.
Witness Josip Cosic told judges that he had been taken prisoner in
Baranja and brought to Borovo on September 4, 1991 along with about 30
other prisoners. He said that during the time he spent in detention
prisoners were beaten every night.
"(In a room) where they beat us, we could not see each other because
it was dark. Only cries, moans and the sound of beating could be
heard," the witness said, adding that he was exchanged on September
13, 1991.
Witness Stjepan Tkalec said the only defendant he recognised in the
courtroom was Curcic, whom he had seen at the exchange. He also said
that prisoners had been subjected to beatings and torture on a daily
basis.
Witness Zdenko Guzic said he had not been beaten while in detention in
Borovo, but that he had seen people being taken away and brought back
"black and blue" as a result of beating.
Witness Zeljko Cicek said that prisoners were usually taken away for
beating by four persons dressed in blue police uniforms and camouflage
uniforms belonging to the JNA (Yugoslav People's Army). He identified
the defendant Drzaic as one of those persons.
Cicek said that some of the prisoners, such as Zeljko Hodak, had died
as a result of beating.
The trial was set to resume on May 5 when new witnesses would be
heard.
(Hina) vm