Bosnian Serb Ex-Policeman Jailed for Assaulting Civilians in Kljuc

The Supreme Court in Bosnia's Federation entity has rejected Jovo Galic's appeal against the verdict convicting him of committing a war crime against the civilian population and sentencing him to two-and-a-half years in prison.

The first-instance verdict said that during the armed conflict between the Bosnian Serb Army and the Bosnian Army, Galic, a reserve policeman at the Public Security Station in Kljuc, acting together with members of the Bosnian Serb Army and the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, inhumanely treated prisoners and civilians from the villages in the Kljuc municipality.

The verdict said that Galic beat the civilians, abused them and confiscated their money and personal belongings.

He kicked and hit three Bosniaks all over their bodies with his fists and a baton until they passed out, and continued to physically abuse them after that, the verdict added. The assaults took place at the Nikola Mackic school building and the Public Security Station in Kljuc in 1992.

Galic was originally convicted by the Cantonal Court in Bihac, and then appealed.

The prosecution also appealed, calling for a higher sentence, but the Federation Supreme Court rejected both appeals, confirming the first -instance verdict and jail sentence.

The Supreme Court's made its ruling in August last year, but it was only made public this month. The verdict cannot be appealed.