Bosnian Prosecutor Demands Jailing of Croat Fighters for Prisoner Abuse

In closing arguments at the Bosnian state court on Thursday, the prosecution asked for Mile Pazin and Vide Kresic to be found guilty of crimes against civilian prisoners in the Stolac area in 1993.

"The prosecution considers that it has proved beyond doubt that the defendants committed the crimes that they are charged with in this case," said Bosnian state prosecutor Igor Dubak.

Pazin is accused of arresting and physically and mentally mistreating women, children and several men who were detained in a school building in Crnici, near Stolac, from where they were transferred to detention facilities in Djulici and Kaplan Mahala.

Kresic is accused of the mental and physical mistreatment of civilians detained at the Kostana Hospital in Stolac.

Dubak said that Pazin was commander of the Civil Protection force in the municipality of Stolac, and Kresic was a Croatian Defence Council fighter at the time.

He argued that it had been proved that Bosniak prisoners, including women, children and elderly people, were kept in inhumane conditions in the detention facilities, and were deprived of food and robbed of their money and gold jewellery.

The defence lawyers will present their closing arguments on July 2 or 9.