Cooperation in preparing indictment for murder of 21 Serbs

BELGRADE – Serbia’s War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office said in a release Friday that an indictment had been issued in cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) against four former members of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Army over war crimes against Serb civilians, including the killing of 21 people who were on a refugee convoy from the BiH city of Gorazde on August 27, 1992.

Questionings of witnesses have been organized at the War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, and the available evidence and information in this case have been delivered to the prosecutor’s office as part of the cooperation, the statement says.

This case is yet another in a series of 42 war crimes cases issued since January 2013 where information and evidence have been exchanged with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office.

The protocol-based cooperation between the two prosecutor’s offices serves to strengthen the rule of law in the region, combat impunity for war crimes and safeguard the victims’ right to justice, the release says, adding that the cooperation has been met with support from EU institutions in the process of European integration of Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On Wednesday, August 20, a BiH court upheld the indictment charging former commander of the BiH Army Reconnaissance Squad Muhamed Sisic and former squad members Emir Drakovac, Aziz Susa and Tarik Sisic with attacking civilians in the village of Kukavice.

At least 21 people were killed, including women and children, several people were wounded, and property that the Serb refugees had with them was taken away from them and burned in the attack.

The indictment charges Emir Drakovac of torturing, murdering, and mutilating with an ax one civilian...