Bosnia Court Awards Acquitted War Crime Suspects Compensation

The state court of Bosnia has awarded two men acquitted of war crimes some 5,000 euros each for suffering non-material damage.

Zijad Hamzic's legal representative, Kenan Hadzimuhovic, said he filed a compensation claim for non-material damage for KM 15,350 - just under 8,000 eruros - at a hearing in February.

He said Hamzic had been prevented from leaving his home for over a year and could not travel abroad for more than four years while being obliged to report to a police station more than 150 times. During his trial, Hamzic was under prohibition measures from March 2013 and September 2017.

"The first instance court awarded Hamzic 4,000 marks only, but following my appeal they raised the amount to 10,000 [about 5,000 euros]," Hadzimuhovic told BIRN BiH.

Hadzimuhovic also represented Nusret Muhic in the procedure for compensation. He filed a claim for non-material damage of 22,000 marks due to prohibition measures and due to his obligation to report to the police station between 2013 and 2015, as well as due to mental anguish, fear and reduction of living capability.

"The first instance court awarded him 17,000 marks but then the second instance chamber upheld an appeal filed by the Office of the Attorney General … and reduced it to KM 10,000," Hadzimuhovic explained.

Besides these two, Osman Gogic and Selman Busnov also recently sued the state court before the Administrative Section of the court, claiming compensation for mental anguish and prohibition measures during their criminal proceedings.

In May 2019, the Appeals Chamber of the State Court acquitted all four - Hamzic, Muhic, Gogic and Busnov - of war crimes charges relating to the Kladanj area between May 1992 and July 1993.

Hamzic was accused in his...