The indictment for Berak covers 35 persons charged with forming an occupation local government and a Territorial Defence headquarters from 2 September 1991, after the occupation of the village, until the end of 1992.
The indictment says that after Berak was occupied by the former Yugoslav People's Army and Serb paramilitaries, the perpetrators intimidated Croats and other non-Serbs during the night for no reason, entered their houses, which they set on fire and mined, tortured them, abducted and killed prisoners. They tortured 120 Croatian civilians, killing 32, while 12 are still listed as detained or missing.
Piljic said the majority of the accused for war crimes against civilians in Berak were at large so warrants were issued for their arrest. Two accused are on provisional release pending trial, while only one is in custody.
The indictment for war crimes against civilians committed in Sotin from 10 October 1991 to April 1992 covers 17 persons. They are charged with forming an occupation local government and a Territorial Defence headquarters after the occupation of the village with the intention to make Sotin's population strictly Serb. They tortured and killed Croat civilians, forced them to work, plundered their property and abducted them. Thirty-five Sotin residents are still listed as detained or missing.
The indictment also says that on 27 December 1991, all Croatian families had to leave Sotin, abandoning their property and going to the free part of Croatia.
Four accused are on provisional release pending trial, while arrest warrants have been issued for the others.
Piljic told Hina that so far, the Vukovar County Prosecutor's Office had launched criminal proceedings against 510 persons for war crimes committed during the Serbian occupation of Croatia's Danube river region.
Eighty-seven persons are being investigated in connection with war crimes, Piljic said.
Because they are at large, investigation was interrupted for 21 persons and discontinued for 227, in the majority of cases in accordance with the Amnesty Law, while in the minority of cases this was due to a suspect's death or because their guilt was not proved.
War crimes charges have been pressed against 223 persons so far, resulting in 57 guilty sentences with the right to appeal and 38 convictions.
Eighty-four persons are currently on trial, while the trials of 44 were discontinued for a variety of reasons.