Minka Kreho

Bosnian Serb Ex-Policemen’s Srebrenica Genocide Acquittal Upheld

The Bosnian state court has rejected a prosecution appeal confirmed a verdict acquitting Miodrag Josipovic, Branimir Tesic, Dragomir Vasic, Danilo Zoljic and Radomir Pantic of participation in the partial extermination of Bosniaks from Srebrenica in July 1995, the men's lawyers told BIRN.

Bosnia Acquits Serb Ex-Policemen of Srebrenica Genocide Charges

The Bosnian state court found Miodrag Josipovic, Branimir Tesic, Dragomir Vasic, Danilo Zoljic and Radomir Pantic not guilty on Monday of participation in the partial extermination of Bosniaks from Srebrenica in July 1995.

"The prosecution has not proved that the defendants had the intent to commit extermination," said presiding judge Minka Kreho.

Bosnia: Peace Anniversary Year Sees War Crimes Trial Slowdown

According to the plan, work on hundreds of unsolved cases should be completed by 2023.

However, the deadline set in the previous national strategy, which envisaged that the most complex war crimes cases would be solved by 2015, was not met, and some legal experts doubt that the new strategy will succeed either.

Coronavirus Safeguards Stop Large-Scale Bosnian War Trials Resuming

She said that after the relaxation of the pandemic restrictions, the court decided that trials of up to five defendants could start again on June 1. Those hearings will be conducted in two biggest courtrooms in the state court building in Sarajevo, where appropriate distance between all the participants can be ensured.