The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, pursuant to her authority under Article 18 of the Statute of the Tribunal, charges:
with COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE; Extermination, Murder, Persecutions, and Inhumane Acts (Forcible Transfer) as CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY; and Murder as a VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR, as set forth herein; and
with Extermination, Murder, and Persecutions as CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY; and Murder as a VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR, as set forth herein.
- VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC was born in the Bratunac Municipality on 22 June
1950. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army of the Socialist
Republic of Yugoslavia (JNA). On 1 June 1992, during the armed conflict in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, he became the commander of the Zvornik Brigade, a
newly formed unit of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS). He later served on
VRS Drina Corps Staff, and served for several months as the acting Chief of
Staff/Deputy Commander of the Bratunac Brigade in 1993. In May 1995, he was
appointed the Commander of the 1st Bratunac Light Infantry Brigade
(Bratunac Brigade). His brigade was responsible for the security of the territory
opposite the northern, eastern and southern boundaries of the Srebrenica "safe
area" and directly participated in the actual capture of the Srebrenica "safe
area". He was working on the General Staff of the Army of the Republika Srpska
in August 2001 when he was arrested.
SUPERIOR AUTHORITY / POSITION OF THE ACCUSED
- During the VRS attack on the Srebrenica "safe area" and the subsequent killings
and executions of Bosnian Muslim men, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC was a Colonel
in command of the 1st Bratunac Light Infantry Brigade and was present
in Bratunac Brigade zone of responsibility exercising command through at least
17 July 1995; after 17 July he lead a battalion of his troops as part of a
VRS operation attacking the Muslim enclave of Zepa. After the fall of Zepa,
he returned to the Bratunac zone of responsibility where he remained until
22 September 1995. On that day, the Bratunac Brigade was attached to the Sarajevo-Romanjia
Corps (SRK). Despite this attachment, however, he did not remain exclusively
in the sector of SRK, but frequently travelled back to his brigade’s garrison
location in Bratunac. He remained the Bratunac Brigade Commander until mid-1996
when he was re-assigned to the VRS Main Staff, later named the VRS General
Staff.
- As a brigade commander he was responsible for planning, directing and monitoring
the activities of all the subordinate formations of his brigade, in accordance
with the directives received from his higher command at the Corps and Main
Staff levels.
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THE ACCUSED
- DRAGAN JOKIC was born on 20 August 1957 in the Bosnian Serb village
of Grbavci in the Zvornik Municipality. He attended the military school for
non-commissioned officers and the Military Academy. He completed a battalion
commander’s course in engineering. He joined the Zvornik Brigade at the beginning
of the war in 1992, when the brigade was formed, and remained until after
the war. During the time period relevant to the Amended Joinder Indictment,
he was the Chief of Engineering of the 1st Zvornik Infantry Brigade
and held the rank of Major. Prior to his detention in The Hague, he was a
Lieutenant Colonel working for the VRS 5th Corps located in Sokolac,
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
POSITION OF THE ACCUSED
- In July 1995, DRAGAN JOKIC held the rank of Major with the position
Chief of Engineering of the Zvornik Brigade. As Chief of Engineering he was
a member of the Zvornik Brigade staff, and was the advisor to the Zvornik
Brigade Commander and to the Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander for matters relating
to Engineering Services such as defence works, mining activities, road construction
and excavation projects. He was also responsible for planning, directing,
organising and monitoring the activities of the Zvornik Brigade Engineering
Company, and was empowered to issue orders to the Engineering Company which
implemented the directives of the Brigade Commander and/or the Chief of Staff/Deputy
Commander.
- In addition, DRAGAN JOKIC was the Duty Officer of the Zvornik Brigade
for a 24-hour period from the morning of 14 July 1995 through the morning
of 15 July 1995. In that capacity, he was the designated representative of
the Brigade Commander or Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander, and remained present
at the Brigade Headquarters during this period of duty. In that regard, operational
orders from the Superior Command (Drina Corps and Main Staff) passed through
him, and reports from the Zvornik Brigade to the Superior Command were either
written by him, or relayed through him. In the event that the Commander or
Chief of Staff was temporarily absent from the Headquarters during the duty
period, the Duty Officer would ensure that their orders to subordinates were
sent, and reports from these subordinates were received in a timely manner.
These reports would be relayed by the Duty Officer to the Commander or Chief
of Staff/Deputy Commander as required. The Duty Officer is the central point
of co-ordination and communications for the Zvornik Brigade zone of responsibility.
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
- At all times relevant to this Amended Joinder Indictment, a state of armed
conflict existed in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- At all relevant times, each of the accused was required to abide by the
laws and customs governing the conduct of war.
- All acts and omissions charged as crimes against humanity were part of a
widespread or systematic attack directed against the Bosnian Muslim civilian
population of Srebrenica and its surroundings.
STATEMENT OF FACTS
- On 12 May 1992, Momcilo Krajisnik, President of the RS National Assembly
executed the following "DECISION ON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE SERBIAN PEOPLE
IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA"; this Decision was published in the Official Gazette
of the Republika Srpska on 26 November 1993:
"The strategic objectives or priorities of the Serbian people in Bosnia
and Herzegovina are to:
1. Establish State borders separating the Serbian people from the other
two ethnic communities.
2. Set up a corridor between Semberija and Krajina.
3. Establish a corridor in the Drina river valley, that is, eliminate the
Drina as a border separating Serbian States.
4. Establish a border on the Una and Neretva rivers.
5. Divide the city of Sarajevo into Serbian and Bosnian Muslim parts and
establish effective State authorities in both parts.
6. Ensure access to the sea for Republika Srpska."
- After armed conflict erupted in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ("BiH")
in the spring of 1992, Bosnian Serb military and paramilitary forces attacked
and occupied cities, towns and villages, including Zvornik, in the eastern
part of the country and participated in an ethnic cleansing campaign which
resulted in an exodus of Bosnian Muslim civilians to enclaves in Srebrenica,
Gorazde and Zepa.
- On 19 November 1992, General Ratko Mladic, the Commander of the VRS Main
Staff, issued Operational Directive 04. This Directive, in part, ordered the
Drina Corps to "…inflict the heaviest possible losses on the enemy, and force
him to leave the Birac, Zepa and Gorazde areas together with the Bosnian Muslim
population. First, offer the able-bodied and armed men to surrender, and if
they refuse, destroy them."
- On 16 April 1993, the Security Council of the United Nations, acting pursuant
to Chapter VII of its Charter, adopted Resolution 819, in which it demanded
that all parties to the conflict in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
treat Srebrenica and its surroundings as a "safe area" which was to be free
from any armed attack or any other hostile act.
- On 4 July 1994, Lieutenant Colonel Slavko Ognjenovic, then Commander of
the Bratunac Brigade, issued a report to all members of the Bratunac Brigade
stating in relevant part; "We must continue to arm, train, discipline, and
prepare the RS Army for the execution of this crucial task — the expulsion
of Muslims from the Srebrenica enclave. There will be no retreat when it comes
to the Srebrenica enclave, we must advance. The enemy’s life has to be made
unbearable and their temporary stay in the enclave impossible so that they
leave the enclave en masse as soon as possible, realising that they
cannot survive there."
- On 8 March 1995, the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of the Republika
Srpska issued Operational Directive 07. In this Directive, Republika Srpska
President Radovan Karadzic directed the VRS (specifically the VRS Drina Corps)
to "…complete the physical separation of the Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves
as soon as possible, preventing even communication between individuals between
the two enclaves. By planned and well-thought-out combat operations, create
an unbearable situation of total insecurity, with no hope of further survival
or life for the inhabitants of Srebrenica or Zepa."
- On 2 July 1995, in the Drina Corps operational order for the attack on the
Srebrenica enclave, General Milenko Zivanovic ordered that the attack of the
enclave should result in "reducing the enclave to its urban area". The size
of the enclave on 2 July 1995 was approximately 58 square kilometres and the
urban area of the enclave was about two (2) square kilometres. Large numbers
of the Bosnian Muslim population of the enclave lived outside the urban area
of Srebrenica prior to 2 July 1995.
- On or about 6 July 1995, units of the Drina Corps shelled Srebrenica and
attacked Dutch-manned United Nations observation posts which were located
in the enclave. The Drina Corps attack on the Srebrenica enclave, including
the shelling, continued through 11 July 1995, when forces from the Zvornik
Brigade’s Drina Wolves, the Bratunac Brigade, the 10th Sabotage
Detachment and other units of the VRS entered Srebrenica.
- In the several days following this attack on Srebrenica, VRS forces captured,
detained, summarily executed, and buried over 7000 Bosnian Muslim men and
boys from the Srebrenica enclave, and forcibly transferred the Bosnian Muslim
women and children of Srebrenica out of the enclave. The details of these
events and the role of each accused therein are presented in the paragraphs
below.
INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
Direct Criminal Responsibility
- Pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC
and DRAGAN JOKIC are individually responsible for the crimes charged against
them in this Amended Indictment. VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC
committed, planned, instigated, ordered, and otherwise aided and abetted in
the planning, preparation, and execution of these charged crimes. By using
the word "committed" in this Amended Joinder Indictment, the Prosecutor does
not intend to suggest that any of the accused necessarily physically and personally
perpetrated any of the crimes charged. "Committing" the crimes can be accomplished
by virtue of participation in the joint criminal enterprise.
- VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC is also criminally responsible as commander for
the acts of his subordinates pursuant to Article 7(3) of the Tribunal Statute
if he knew or had reason to know that his subordinates were about to commit
such acts or had done so and he failed to take the necessary and reasonable
measures to prevent such acts or to punish the perpetrators thereof.
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Joint Criminal Enterprise
- VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC, together with other VRS
and MUP officers, including Momir Nikolic, Dragan Obrenovic, and units as
identified in this Amended Joinder Indictment, were members of and knowingly
participated in a Joint Criminal Enterprise, the common purpose of which was:
to forcibly transfer the women and children from the Srebrenica enclave to
Kladanj, on 12 July and 13 July 1995; and to capture, detain, summarily execute
by firing squad, bury, and rebury thousands of Bosnian Muslim men and boys
aged 16 to 60 from the Srebrenica enclave from 12 July 1995 until and about
19 July 1995. The last known primary burial of Srebrenica victims occurred
on or about 19 July 1995 in Glogova. The initial plan was to summarily execute
more than 1000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys, aged 16 to 60, who were separated
from the group of Bosnian Muslims in Potocari on 12 and 13 July. On 12 July,
this plan was broadened to include the summary execution of over 6000 men
and boys, aged 16 to 60, who were captured from the column of Bosnian Muslim
men escaping the Srebrenica enclave on 12 July through about 19 July 1995.
Most of these men and boys from the column were captured along the Bratunac/Milici
road on 13 July 1995. While the Joint Criminal Enterprise contemplated organised
and systematic executions, it was foreseeable to VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and
DRAGAN JOKIC that opportunistic criminal acts, such as those described
in this Amended Joinder Indictment, would be carried out by VRS and MUP forces
during and after the Joint Criminal Enterprise. VRS and MUP forces carried
out such opportunistic criminal acts from 12 July 1995 to about 1 November
1995. The implementation of this Joint Criminal Enterprise resulted in the
summary execution of approximately 7000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys from the
Srebrenica enclave.
- VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC possessed the criminal
intent and state of mind required to commit the individual crimes charged
in the Amended Joinder Indictment, and their acts significantly assisted and
facilitated the commission of the crimes. The participation of each of the
accused in the Joint Criminal Enterprise and the specific acts and responsibilities
described in this Amended Joinder Indictment satisfy the elements required
for a finding that, pursuant to the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Statute
of the Tribunal, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC "committed,"
"planned," "instigated," "ordered," and otherwise "aided and abetted" genocide
or complicity in genocide, crimes against humanity (including extermination,
murder, persecutions, and inhumane acts (forcible transfer)), and murder as
a violation of the laws or customs of war. These specific acts and responsibilities
of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC pursuant to this Joint
Criminal Enterprise are described in the Amended Joinder Indictment in paragraphs
30, 35-36, 39, and 40-51. Additionally, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC knew or had
reason to know that his subordinates would and did participate in these criminal
acts, and he failed to take the necessary and reasonable measures to prevent
such acts or to punish the perpetrators thereof.
- The Joint Criminal Enterprise, of which VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN
JOKIC were members and key participants, was conceived and designed by
General Ratko Mladic and others on 11 and 12 July 1995, and administered and
carried out by members of the VRS and MUP forces through the time period and
by the means alleged in this Amended Joinder Indictment.
- Members of this Joint Criminal Enterprise included: General Ratko Mladic,
the Commander of the VRS, General Milenko Zivanovic, Commander of the Drina
Corps through about 2000 hours on 13 July 1995; General Radislav Krstic, Chief
of Staff/Deputy Commander through about 2000 hours on 13 July 1995 and thereafter
Commander of the Drina Corps; Colonel Ljubisa Beara, Chief of Security of
the VRS Main Staff; Colonel Vujadin Popovic, Assistant Commander for Security
of the Drina Corps; VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC, Commander of the Bratunac Brigade;
Colonel Vinko Pandurevic, Commander of the Zvornik Brigade; DRAGAN JOKIC,
Chief of Engineering of the Zvornik Brigade; Dragan Obrenovic, Deputy Commander
and Chief of Staff of the Zvornik Brigade; Momir Nikolic, Assistant Commander
for Security and Intelligence of the Bratunac Brigade; and various other individuals
and military and police units, including but not limited to the following:
Drina Corps Units
Elements of the Bratunac Brigade
Elements of the Zvornik Brigade
Elements of the Vlasenica Brigade
Elements of the 5th Engineering Battalion
Main Staff Units
Elements of the 10th Sabotage Detachment
Elements of the 65th Protection Regiment
MUP Units
Elements of the Republika Srpska "Special Police"
Elements of the Bratunac Municipal Police
Elements of the Milici Municipal Police
Elements of the Zvornik Municipal Police
On 11 July 1995, four units of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) were
placed under the command of the VRS.
As Assistant Commander (Chief) for Security and Intelligence of the Bratunac
Brigade, Momir Nikolic was directly subordinate to VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC,
Commander of the Bratunac Brigade, who in turn was directly subordinate to
General Radislav Krstic, Commander of the Drina Corps. As Chief of Engineering
of the Zvornik Brigade, DRAGAN JOKIC was directly subordinate to Dragan
Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Zvornik
Brigade, who in turn was directly subordinate to Colonel Vinko Pandurevic,
Commander of the Zvornik Brigade, and to General Krstic. A detailed summary
of the military structure of the VRS is affixed to this Amended Joinder Indictment
as Annex A.
- These allegations concerning individual criminal responsibility, including
those cited in the Joint Criminal Enterprise paragraphs, are realleged and
incorporated into each of the charges set forth below.
CHARGES
COUNT 1B
(Complicity to Commit Genocide)
By his acts and omissions described in the paragraphs below, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC
committed:
COUNT 1B: Complicity to commit genocide, punishable under Articles
4(3)(e), 7(1), and 7(3) of the Statute of the Tribunal.
- Between 11 July 1995 and 1 November 1995, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC with
intent to destroy a part of the Bosnian Muslim people as a national, ethnical,
or religious group:
- killed members of the group by summary execution as described in paragraphs
30, 35-36, 39, and 40-51; and,
- caused serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.
- By virtue of his position as Commander of the Bratunac Brigade, VIDOJE
BLAGOJEVIC was responsible for all prisoners captured, detained, or killed
within the Bratunac Brigade zone of responsibility, including those prisoners
captured in the Bratunac Brigade zone and subsequently transported with their
knowledge to the Zvornik Brigade zone for further detention and execution.
In his various capacities as Deputy Commander and Acting Commander of the
Zvornik Brigade as described in this Amended Joinder Indictment, Dragan Obrenovic
had responsibility for all prisoners captured, detained, or killed in the
Zvornik Brigade zone, including those prisoners captured in the Bratunac Brigade
zone and subsequently killed in the Zvornik Brigade zone. In his capacity
as Chief of Staff as described in this Amended Joinder Indictment, Dragan
Obrenovic was responsible for facilitating the planning, controlling, monitoring,
organising, and carrying out of the overall operation. DRAGAN JOKIC,
as Chief of Engineering of the Zvornik Brigade, assisted in the planning,
monitoring, organising and carrying out of the burials involved in the murder
operation. DRAGAN JOKIC, as Brigade Duty Officer on 14 and 15 July
1995, assisted in co-ordinating communication between VRS officers and commands
involving the transportation, detention, execution and burial of Srebrenica
Muslims and issued or transmitted reports and updates to superiors on the
progress of the overall murder operation.
- Immediately after the fall of Srebrenica on 11 July 1995, senior VRS officers
including Ratko Mladic and Radislav Krstic surveyed the town. At this time,
Ratko Mladic announced that "the moment has finally come for us to take revenge
upon the Turks here."
- Thousands of Bosnian Muslims from the enclave, including women, children,
and some men, fled to the UN Compound in Potocari on 11 July 1995, where they
sought the protection of the Dutch battalion. Meanwhile, approximately 15,000
Bosnian Muslim men from the enclave, with some women and children, gathered
at the villages of Susnjari and Jaglici during the evening of 11 July 1995
and fled, in a huge column, through the woods towards Tuzla. Approximately
one-third of this group consisted of armed Bosnian Muslim military personnel.
The rest were civilians and unarmed military personnel.
- On the evening of 11 July and the morning of 12 July, Ratko Mladic and other
VRS officers convened three critical meetings at the Hotel Fontana in Bratunac
concerning the fate of the refugees who had fled to Potocari. At the first
meeting, held at approximately 2000 hours on 11 July, Ratko Mladic met with
other members of the VRS, including Momir Nikolic, and with the Dutchbat command.
At this first meeting, Ratko Mladic intimidated and threatened the Dutchbat
commander. The second meeting was convened by Ratko Mladic, Radislav Krstic,
and other members of the VRS at approximately 2300 hours on 11 July, and
was attended by members of the Dutchbat command and representatives of the
Bosnian Muslim refugees at Potocari. At this second meeting, Ratko Mladic
warned the Bosnian Muslim representatives that their people could either "survive
or disappear." At the third meeting, convened at about 1000 hours on 12 July
1995 by Ratko Mladic, Radislav Krstic, and other VRS and Bosnian Serb civilian
representatives, and attended by Dutchbat officers and representatives of
the Bosnian Muslim refugees, Ratko Mladic explained that he would supervise
the "evacuation" of refugees from Potocari and that he wanted to see all military-aged
Bosnian Muslim men so that they could be screened as possible war criminals.
During the meetings at the Hotel Fontana from the evening of 11 July to the
early morning of 12 July 1995, the plan to transport the civilian refugee
population from Potocari was developed. By his presence in these meetings
and his subsequent actions in Potocari, Momir Nikolic took part in the planning
and implementation of the forcible transfer of civilians from Potocari.
- The Bosnian Muslim refugee population remained in and around Potocari from
11 July until 13 July 1995, during which time they were terrorised by members
of the VRS and the MUP. The separations of men took place in the presence
of Momir Nikolic.
- On or about 12 July 1995, in the presence of Ratko Mladic, Radislav Krstic,
Momir Nikolic, and others, approximately 50 to 60 buses and trucks arrived
near the UN military compound in Potocari. Shortly after the arrival of these
vehicles, the forcible transfer process of Bosnian Muslim women and children
began. As the Bosnian Muslim women, children, and men started to board the
buses and trucks, VRS and/or MUP soldiers separated over 1000 Bosnian Muslim
men from the women and children and transported these men to temporary detention
sites in Bratunac on 12 and 13 July 1995. Momir Nikolic was present
and on duty in Potocari during this period, and he participated in the separation
and transportation of the Bosnian Muslim population.
- Beginning around 12 July 1995 and continuing throughout the period of organised
executions, personal property and effects belonging to the Bosnian Muslim
male prisoners, including their identification documents and valuables, were
confiscated and destroyed by members of the VRS and the MUP. This confiscation
and destruction of personal property and effects occurred while Momir Nikolic
was present in Potocari under the command and control of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC,
at various points of capture and collection along the Bratunac/Milici road,
and at various execution sites. In addition, the prisoners in Potocari and
in Bratunac were not provided with food or medical treatment, nor with any
meaningful rations of water, during their days in detention pending execution.
Opportunistic Killings in Potocari
- VRS and MUP officers and soldiers committed a number of opportunistic killings
of the Bosnian Muslims in Potocari on 12 and 13 July 1995. Such opportunistic
killings occurred as a natural and foreseeable consequence of the unfolding
Joint Criminal Enterprise. These Bosnian Muslims were taken prisoner in Potocari
before being killed. Momir Nikolic personally supervised the handling of prisoners
in Potocari and was present and on duty in Potocari during this period, along
with members of the Drina Corps, the Bratunac Brigade, and the MUP. The opportunistic
killings in Potocari resulted in the following:
- On 12 July, the bodies of nine Bosnian Muslim men who had been shot,
were found in the woods near the UN Compound on the Budak side of the
main road.
- On 12 July, the bodies of nine or ten Bosnian Muslim males were found
about seven hundred metres from the UN Compound behind the White House
in a creek.
- On the morning of the 13 July, the bodies of six Bosnian Muslim women
and five Bosnian Muslim men were found in a stream near the UN Compound
in Potocari.
- On 13 July, one Bosnian Muslim man was taken behind a building near
the "White House" and summarily executed.
- Between 12 July and about 17 July 1995, approximately 6000 Bosnian Muslim
men from the column of men escaping the Srebrenica enclave were captured by,
or surrendered to, VRS and MUP forces. Momir Nikolic was present along the
Bratunac/Milici road on 13 July 1995 and was involved in the capture and detention
of Bosnian Muslim prisoners in that area. Apart from those prisoners transported
directly to execution sites, the prisoners captured from the column on 13
July 1995 were taken to the same temporary detention sites in and around Bratunac
as those men separated from Potocari.
Opportunistic Killings in Bratunac
- VRS and MUP officers and soldiers committed a number of opportunistic killings
of Bosnian Muslim prisoners temporarily detained in Bratunac in schools, buildings,
and vehicles parked along the road. Such opportunistic killings occurred as
a natural and foreseeable consequence of the Joint Criminal Enterprise. These
opportunistic killings occurred between 12 July and about 15 July 1995 in
several different locations in Bratunac, namely:
- On 12 July, beginning at approximately 2200 hours and continuing through
13 July, more than 50 Bosnian Muslim men were taken from a hangar behind
the Vuk Karadzic elementary school in Bratunac and summarily executed.
- On 13 July, at approximately 2130 hours, two Bosnian Muslim men were
taken off a truck in Bratunac town, taken to a nearby garage and summarily
executed.
- On 13 July, in the evening, a Bosnian Muslim man who was mentally retarded
was taken off a bus parked in front of the Vuk Karadzic elementary school
in Bratunac and summarily executed.
- On 13 July, during the day, one Bosnian Muslim man was beaten about
the head with a rifle at the Vuk Karadzic School and was subsequently
taken away and summarily executed. Numerous other Bosnian Muslim men detained
at the Vuk Karadzic elementary school were also summarily executed during
the day of 13 July.
- On the evening of 13 July, four young Bosnian Muslim males were taken
from the area of the Vuk Karadzic School and were summarily executed.
- Between the evening of 13 July and the morning of 15 July, Bosnian Muslim
males were frequently and consistently taken from the Vuk Karadzic elementary
school and summarily executed.
Those Bosnian Muslim prisoners who survived their temporary detention in
Bratunac were transported to the Zvornik area between 13 and 15 July 1995
for further detention and execution. Members of the Bratunac Brigade Military
Police Platoon under the command and control of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC
and under the direction of Momir Nikolic participated in guarding the prisoners
and escorting them to holding and execution sites in the Zvornik Brigade
zone of responsibility. Momir Nikolic directed and co-ordinated the
Bratunac Brigade Military Police Platoon regarding issues relating to the
transportation detention and execution of prisoners under the authority
of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC the Brigade Commander. As Deputy Commander of
the Zvornik Brigade, Dragan Obrenovic was responsible for scouting and identifying
sites for such detention and execution, as well as undertaking preparations
for the intake of thousands of prisoners into his brigade zone of responsibility.
Organised Mass Executions
- Over a seven-day period from 12 July until about 19 July 1995, VRS and MUP
forces participated in a planned and organised mass execution and burial of
thousands of captured Bosnian Muslim men from the Srebrenica enclave. This
wide-scale and organised killing operation occurred in several different locations
in and around Srebrenica, Bratunac, and Zvornik, including the following:
46.1 Potocari: On 12 July 1995, in between the Zinc Factory and
"Alija’s" house, VRS and/or MUP soldiers summarily executed by decapitation
approximately eighty to one hundred Bosnian Muslim men. The bodies were then
taken away on a truck. Momir Nikolic was present in Potocari not far from
Alija’s house on 12 July 1995.
46.2 Jadar River: At approximately 1100 hours on 13 July 1995,
a small squad of soldiers consisting of at least one Bratunac police officer
(Bratunac MUP), working with individuals and units of the VRS and/or MUP,
captured approximately 16 Bosnian Muslim men from the column of men retreating
from the Srebrenica enclave, transported them from Konjevic Polje to an isolated
area on the bank of the Jadar River and summarily executed 15 of them. One
individual was wounded and managed to escape.
46.3 Cerska Valley: On 13 July 1995, in the early afternoon hours,
VRS and/or MUP soldiers transported about 150 Bosnian Muslim men to an area
along a dirt road in the Cerska Valley about three (3) kilometres from Konjevic
Polje, summarily executed them and, using heavy equipment, covered them with
dirt.
46.4 Kravica Warehouse: On 13 July 1995, in the early evening hours,
VRS and/or MUP soldiers summarily executed over 1000 Bosnian Muslim men detained
in a large warehouse in the village of Kravica. The soldiers used automatic
weapons, hand grenades, and other weaponry to kill the Bosnian Muslims inside
the warehouse. Between 14 and 16 July 1995, heavy equipment arrived and removed
the victims’ bodies to two large mass graves located in the nearby villages
of Glogova and Ravnice. Zvornik Brigade Engineering Company troops under the
direction of DRAGAN JOKIC participated in this body removal and burial
operation. The term "direction" as used in this and subsequent paragraphs
includes planning, monitoring, organising and carrying out.
46.5 Tisca: Throughout the day on 13 July 1995, VRS and/or MUP
soldiers transported Bosnian Muslim women and children who had been separated
from male members of their families in Potocari, to Luke, a village near Tisca.
VRS soldiers from the Vlasenica Brigade of the Drina Corps identified and
separated some remaining Bosnian Muslim men and boys and some of the Bosnian
Muslim women from this group at Tisca, while the rest of the group was forcibly
transferred to Bosnian Muslim territory. Throughout the day on 13 July 1995,
VRS soldiers forced the selected Bosnian Muslim men and women to walk to a
nearby school, where they were abused and assaulted. On or about the evening
of 13 July 1995 and the day of 14 July 1995, VRS and/or MUP soldiers loaded
25 Bosnian Muslim men from the school onto a truck, drove them to an isolated
pasture nearby, and summarily executed them with automatic weapons.
46.6 Orahovac (near Lazete): In the late evening hours of 13 July
and during the day of 14 July 1995, personnel from the Military Police Platoon
of the Bratunac Brigade working together with other individuals and units
transported hundreds of Bosnian Muslim males from in and around Bratunac to
the Grbavci School in the village of Orahovac. These Bosnian Muslim men had
been captured from the column of men retreating from the Srebrenica enclave
or separated in Potocari. On 14 July 1995, VRS personnel including members
of the Military Police Company of the Zvornik Brigade under the command and
control of Dragan Obrenovic guarded and blindfolded the Bosnian Muslim males
detained at the Grbavci School. In the early afternoon of 14 July 1995, VRS
personnel transported these Bosnian Muslim males from the school at Grbavci
to a nearby field, where personnel including members of the 4th
Battalion of the Zvornik Brigade under the command and control of Dragan Obrenovic
ordered the prisoners off the trucks and summarily executed them with automatic
weapons. Approximately 1000 Bosnian Muslim males were killed. On 14 and 15
July 1995, members of the Zvornik Brigade Engineering Company under the direction
of DRAGAN JOKIC used heavy equipment to bury the victims in mass graves
at the execution site, while the executions continued. On the evening of 14
July, lights from the engineering machinery illuminated the execution and
burial sites during the executions.
46.7 The Petkovci School: On 14 July 1995, VRS and/or MUP personnel
transported approximately 1000 Bosnian Muslim males from detention sites in
and around Bratunac to the school at Petkovci. These Bosnian Muslim men had
been captured from the column of men retreating from the Srebrenica enclave
or separated in Potocari. On 14 July and the early morning hours of 15 July
1995, VRS and/or MUP personnel struck, beat, assaulted and shot with automatic
weapons Bosnian Muslim males being detained at the school. Dragan Obrenovic,
as Deputy Commander commanding the Zvornik Brigade in the absence of the Commander,
exercised command, control, and co-ordination duties associated with the detention
of prisoners at the Petkovci School.
46.8 The "Dam" near Petkovci: On or about the evening of 14 July
1995 and the early morning hours of 15 July 1995, VRS personnel from the Zvornik
Brigade under the command and control of Dragan Obrenovic, including
drivers and trucks from the 6th Infantry Battalion of the Zvornik
Brigade, transported the surviving members of the group of approximately 1000
Bosnian Muslim males from the school at Petkovci to an area below the Dam
near Petkovci. They were assembled below the Dam and summarily executed by
VRS or MUP soldiers with automatic weapons. In the morning of 15 July 1995,
VRS personnel from the Engineering Company of the Zvornik Brigade, working
under the direction of DRAGAN JOKIC and together with other individuals
and units, used excavators and other heavy equipment to bury the victims while
the executions continued.
46.9 Pilica School: On or about 14 and 15 July 1995, VRS and/or
MUP personnel transported approximately 1200 Bosnian Muslim males from detention
sites in Bratunac to the school at Pilica. These Bosnian Muslim men had been
captured from the column of men retreating from the Srebrenica enclave or
separated in Potocari. On or about 14 and 15 July 1995, VRS military personnel
with automatic weapons summarily executed many of the Bosnian Muslim males
who had arrived, or were being detained, at the school. On 17 July 1995, VRS
personnel from the "R" Battalion of the Zvornik Brigade under the authority
of Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief of Staff of the Zvornik Brigade
retrieved the bodies of the victims from the Pilica School and transported
them to the Branjevo Military Farm. On 17 July 1995, the Engineering Company
of the Zvornik Brigade under the direction of DRAGAN JOKIC, and together
with other individuals and units, buried the victims of the Pilica School
executions in a mass grave at the Branjevo Military Farm.
46.10 Branjevo Military Farm: On the morning of 16 July 1995, VRS
personnel transported the remaining members of the group of approximately
1200 Bosnian Muslim males from the Pilica school by bus to the Branjevo Military
Farm. These Bosnian Muslim men had been captured from the column of men retreating
from the Srebrenica enclave or separated in Potocari. After the Bosnian Muslim
males arrived at the Branjevo Military Farm, they were summarily executed
by automatic weapon fire from members of the 10th Sabotage Detachment
as well as elements of the Bratunac Brigade under the command and control
of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC, working together with other individuals and units.
On 17 July 1995, VRS personnel from the Engineering Company of the Zvornik
Brigade, under the authority of Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief
of Staff of the Zvornik Brigade and the direction of DRAGAN JOKIC,
and together with other individuals and units, buried hundreds of victims
in a nearby mass grave.
46.11 Pilica Cultural Centre: On 16 July 1995, VRS personnel from
the Bratunac Brigade under the command and control of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC
travelled a short distance to the village of Pilica and worked with other
VRS and/or MUP personnel to summarily execute, with automatic weapons, approximately
500 men inside the Pilica Cultural Centre. These Bosnian Muslim men had been
captured from the column of men retreating from the Srebrenica enclave or
separated in Potocari. On 17 July 1995, VRS personnel from the "R" Battalion
of the Zvornik Brigade under the authority of Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity
as Chief of Staff of the Zvornik Brigade retrieved the bodies of the victims
from the Pilica Cultural Centre and transported them to the Branjevo Military
Farm. On 17 July 1995, the Engineering Company of the Zvornik Brigade, under
the authority of Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief of Staff of the
Zvornik Brigade and the direction of DRAGAN JOKIC, participated in
the burial of the victims of the Pilica School executions in a mass grave
at the Branjevo Military Farm.
46.12 Kozluk: On or before 16 July 1995, VRS and/or MUP soldiers,
working together with other individuals and units, transported about 500 Bosnian
Muslim males to an isolated place near Kozluk, in the Zvornik Brigade zone
of responsibility, and summarily executed them with automatic weapons. These
Bosnian Muslim men had been captured from the column of men retreating from
the Srebrenica enclave or separated in Potocari. On 16 July 1995, VRS soldiers
from the Engineering Company of the Zvornik Brigade, under the authority of
Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief of Staff of the Zvornik Brigade
and the direction of DRAGAN JOKIC, and together with other individuals
and units, buried the victims of the executions in a mass grave nearby.
Opportunistic Killings in the Bratunac Brigade and Zvornik Brigade Zones
- During and after the campaign of organised executions, the opportunistic
killing of captured Bosnian Muslim men from the Srebrenica enclave by VRS
and MUP personnel continued to occur through about 1 November 1995. These
opportunistic killings, which were a natural and foreseeable consequence of
the Joint Criminal Enterprise, of which VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN
JOKIC were key members and participants in occurred in the zones of responsibility
of both the Bratunac Brigade and the Zvornik Brigade. The opportunistic killings
in the Bratunac and Zvornik Brigade zones include the following:
Bratunac Brigade Zone
47.1 Nova Kasaba: At sometime from 13 July through 27 July 1995
VRS and/or MUP personnel captured and executed 33 Bosnian Muslim men from
the column fleeing the Srebrenica enclave. At least 26 of the victims were
summarily executed after having been placed in two recently dug graves. Twenty-seven
of the 33 men had their hands tied behind their backs when they were executed.
These graves were located near the village of Nova Kasaba.
47.2 Konjevic Polje: At sometime from 13 July through 27 July 1995,
VRS and/or MUP soldiers captured two Bosnian Muslim men from the column, placed
them in a pit near the village of Konjevic Polje, and summarily executed and
buried them.
47.3 Glogova: At sometime from 17 July through 27 July 1995, VRS
and/or MUP soldiers captured 12 Bosnian Muslim men from the column, tied them
together in six pairs, shot each of them in the head, and buried them in a
mass grave near the village of Glogova.
47.4 Kravica Market: During the night between 13 July and 14 July
near a supermarket in Kravica, a VRS or MUP soldier placed his rifle barrel
into the mouth of a Bosnian Muslim prisoner and summarily executed the man.
Also during this period, VRS and/or MUP soldiers struck, beat with rifle butts,
and summarily executed Bosnian Muslim prisoners who were detained on trucks
near the supermarket. All of these prisoners had been captured from the column
of men retreating from the Srebrenica enclave or separated at Potocari.
47.5 Bratunac Brigade: At sometime from 12 July through 1 November
1995, six Bosnian Muslim men from Srebrenica were captured by MUP forces,
turned over to and interrogated by security personnel from the Bratunac Brigade
under the command and control of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and under the direction
of Momir Nikolic and thereafter summarily executed by unknown persons. One
of these persons (Resid Sinanovic) was captured by a MUP soldiers from the
Republika Srpska (RS) and turned over personally to Momir Nikolic before being
executed. The identification details for these six Bosnian Muslim men are
as follows:
a) Zazif AVDIC, son of Ramo, date of birth: 15 September 1954.
b) Munib DEDIC, son of Emin, date of birth: 26 April 1956.
c) Aziz HUSIC, son of Osman, date of birth: 08 April 1966.
d) Resid SINANOVIC, son of Rahman, date of birth:15 October 1949.
e) Mujo HUSIC, son of Osman, date of birth: 27 August 1961.
f) Hasib IBISEVIC, son of Ibrahim, date of birth: 27 February 1964.
Zvornik Brigade Zone
47.6 Nezuk: On 19 July 1995, VRS personnel from the 16th Brigade
of the 1st Krajina Corps, re-subordinated to the command of the Zvornik
Brigade under the direction of Dragan Obrenovic in his capacity as Chief of
Staff and pursuant to his direct leadership, captured approximately 10 Bosnian
Muslim males from the column and with automatic weapons, summarily executed
them at a place near Nezuk.
47.7 Zvornik Brigade: On or about 19 July 1995, the following four
Bosnian Muslim men were captured from the column by VRS and/or MUP forces
in the Zvornik Brigade zone of responsibility and turned over to Zvornik Brigade
Security personnel:
(a) Sakib KIVIRIC, son of Salko, date of birth: 24 June 1964.
(b) Emin MUSTAFIC, son of Rifet, date of birth: 7 October 1969.
(c) Fuad DJOZIC, son of Senusija, date of birth: 2 May 1965.
(d) Almir HALILOVIC, son of Suljo, date of birth: 25 August 1980.
On or about 22 July 1995, these men were interrogated by Zvornik Brigade
personnel, and were summarily executed sometime thereafter by unknown persons
working together with the Zvornik Brigade Security personnel.
47.8 Zvornik Brigade: On 20 August 1995, Dzemail SALIHOVIC, a Bosnian
Muslim from Srebrenica, was captured by forces of the Zvornik Brigade near
Kalesija while attempting to cross over to Muslim-held territory. Mr. Salihovic
was interrogated by personnel from the Zvornik Brigade and was summarily executed
sometime thereafter by unknown persons.
- From about 18 July through about 1 November, additional members of the Bosnian
Muslim column were captured or killed in the Bratunac and Zvornik Brigade
zone by VRS and MUP forces.
- Before, during, and after the killings and mass executions which occurred
from 12 July until 1 November 1995, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC, as Commander
of the Bratunac Brigade, as previously described in this Amended Joinder Indictment,
knew or had reason to know that his subordinates would and did participate
in these criminal acts, and failed to prevent or punish any of those responsible
for carrying out the assaults, executions and burials in the Bratunac and
Zvornik Brigade zone of responsibility.
- PARAGRAPH DELETED
- From about 1 August 1995 through about 1 November 1995, VRS and MUP personnel
participated in an organised and comprehensive effort to conceal the killings
and executions in the Zvornik and Bratunac Brigade zones of responsibility
by reburying bodies exhumed from initial mass graves at the following locations:
Branjevo Military Farm; Kozluk; the "Dam" near Petkovci; Orahovac; and Glogova;
and transferring them to secondary graves at: twelve sites along the Cancari
Road (containing bodies from Branjevo Military Farm and Kozluk); four sites
near Liplje (containing bodies from the "Dam" near Petkovci); seven sites
near Hodzici (containing bodies from Orahovac); and seven sites near Zeleni
Jadar (containing bodies from Glogova). This reburial operation was a natural
and foreseeable consequence of the execution and original burial plan conceived
by the Joint Criminal Enterprise. Forces of the Zvornik Brigade Engineering
Company participated in this reburial operation under the direction of DRAGAN
JOKIC and under the command and control and direction of Dragan Obrenovic.
On 16 October 1995, Momir Nikolic, under the command and control of VIDOJE
BLAGOJEVIC, was involved in the exhumation and reburial of the execution
victims.
- PARAGRAPH DELETED
- PARAGRAPH DELETED
- The conduct of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC met the requisite three elements
of Complicity in Genocide, namely that:
- The accused was an accomplice in the commission of a crime;
- The crime was committed; and
- The accused knew that the crime was being committed in furtherance of
the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial,
or religious group, as such.
And,
COUNT 2
(Extermination)
By their acts and omissions described in the preceding paragraphs, VIDOJE
BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC committed:
COUNT 2: Extermination, a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY,
punishable under Articles 5(b), 7(1), and 7(3) of the Statute of the Tribunal,
not to include DRAGAN JOKIC under Article 7(3).
- The conduct of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC met the
requisite four elements of Extermination as a Crime Against Humanity, namely
that:
- There was an armed conflict;
- In a manner relating to a widespread or systematic attack directed against
a civilian population, an act or omission of the accused or a subordinate
caused the death of the victim;
- The act or omission was unlawful and intentional, reckless, or grossly
negligent; and
- The accused had knowledge of the wider context in which his conduct occurred.
And,
COUNT 3-4
(Murder)
By their acts and omissions described in the preceding paragraphs, VIDOJE
BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC committed:
COUNT 3: Murder, a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, punishable under
Articles 5(a), 7(1), and 7(3) of the Statute of the Tribunal, not to include
DRAGAN JOKIC under Article 7(3).
- The conduct of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC met the
requisite four elements of Murder as a Crime Against Humanity, namely that:
- There was an armed conflict;
- In a manner related to a widespread or systematic attack directed against
a civilian population, the accused caused the death of one or more persons;
- By such conduct, the accused intended to kill or to inflict serious injury
in reckless disregard of human life; and
- The accused had knowledge of the wider context in which his conduct occurred.
And,
COUNT 4: Murder, a VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OR CUSTOMS OF WAR,
punishable under Articles 3, 7(1), and 7(3) of the Statute of the Tribunal,
not to include DRAGAN JOKIC under Article 7(3).
- The conduct of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC met the
requisite four elements of Murder as a Violation of the Laws or Customs of
War, namely that:
- There was a nexus between the murder and an armed conflict;
- The conduct of the accused caused the death of one or more persons;
- By such conduct, the accused intended to kill or to inflict serious injury
in reckless disregard of human life; and
- The victim or victims were persons taking no active part in the hostilities.
And,
COUNT 5
(Persecutions)
By their acts and omissions alleged in the preceding paragraphs, VIDOJE
BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC committed:
COUNT 5: Persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds,
a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, including Murder, Cruel and Inhumane Treatment,
Terrorising the Civilian Population, Destruction of Personal Property, and
Forcible Transfer (not to include DRAGAN JOKIC), punishable under Articles
5(h), 7(1), and 7(3) of the Statute of the Tribunal, not to include DRAGAN
JOKIC under Article 7(3).
- The conduct of VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC and DRAGAN JOKIC met the
requisite four elements of Persecutions as a Crime against humanity, namely
that:
- There was an armed conflict;
- In a manner related to a widespread or systematic attack directed against
a civilian population, the accused committed acts or omissions against a
victim or victim population violating a basic or fundamental human right;
- The accused’s conduct was committed on political, racial, or religious
grounds, and was committed with requisite discriminatory intent; and
- The accused had knowledge of the wider context in which his conduct occurred.
- As described in this Amended Joinder Indictment, the crime of persecutions
was perpetrated, executed, and carried out by and through the following means:
By his acts and omissions described in paragraphs 2-3, 18-20, 22-26, 30-31,
33, and 37-41, VIDOJE BLAGOJEVIC committed: