MOSTAR MOSTAR, May 7 (Hina) - The trial of a local Croat, indicted for war crimes against Bosniaks in the southern town of Stolac, commenced at the cantonal court in Mostar on Wednesday. The indictee, Drago Palameta, is charged with
violations of the Geneva Conventions during the 1993 Croat-Bosniak conflict in Stolac.
MOSTAR, May 7 (Hina) - The trial of a local Croat, indicted for war
crimes against Bosniaks in the southern town of Stolac, commenced
at the cantonal court in Mostar on Wednesday. The indictee, Drago
Palameta, is charged with violations of the Geneva Conventions
during the 1993 Croat-Bosniak conflict in Stolac. #L#
The indictment alleges that Palameta, together with members of the
local Croat Defence Council (HVO) units, took part in the expulsion
of Stolac Bosniaks (Muslims).
According to the indictment, during an operation Palameta and some
other HVO troops arrested HVO members of the Bosniak origin and took
them on buses to the Dretelj detention camp, where they were abused
and tortured.
Palameta is charged also with having nabbed Bosniak civilians in
the area of Stolac and taken them to the Dretelj and Gabela
detention camps, where they were tortured.
The indictee entered a plea of not guilty. He asserted that he had
never tortured anyone during the war, and added that the Hague-
based UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had
received a document which he said wrongly cited him as the commander
of the HVO's Special Unit in Stolac. Palameta said he was only a
driver during the conflict.
The indictee announced that he would stand mute in the continuation
of the trial.
The ICTY has given approval to the Mostar cantonal court for the
Palameta trial.
(hina) ms