Bih Court Jails Two, Acquits Three, for Rogatica War Crimes

First-instance verdict sentences two former members of the Bosnian Serb military police to a total of seven years in prison for inhumane treatment of civilians detained in the eastern town of Rogatica in 1995.

Marija Tausan, July 21, 2025

Slavisa Djeric in front of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Photo: BIRN.

In a first-instance verdict delivered on Monday, Bosnia’s state court sentenced two former members of the Military Police of the Bosnian Serb Army, VRS, Slavisa Djeric and Nenad Ujic, to three and four-year prison terms respectively. Both were found guilty of abusing Bosniak civilians held in the “Rasadnik” detention facility in Rogatica between July and December 1995.

Zoran Neskovic, Panto Pantovic and Pero Despet were acquitted of all charges. Djeric and Ujic were also cleared of several other counts in the indictment.

Judge Zoran Bozic said the court had found “beyond reasonable doubt” that Djeric and Ujic committed the acts as perpetrators or co-perpetrators. They were convicted for multiple counts of physically and psychologically abusing detainees from the Zepa, Rogatica, and Srebrenica areas.

Ujic was specifically found guilty of inhumane treatment of a protected witness identified as M-3. According to the verdict, he “threw the victim onto a bed, pulled out a knife and slashed his neck, leaving a visible scar”.

Another victim testified that Djeric inflicted the most severe beatings he suffered in the camp, describing them as worse than any other abuse at Rasadnik.

As mitigating factors, the court accepted that both men were relatively young at the time, had no prior convictions and are now family men. Judge Bozic said the reduced sentences still met the purpose of punishment, arguing the “consequences were not severe or far-reaching”.

The court acquitted the five men of 15 other counts in the indictment, including the alleged inhumane treatment and killing of Zepa’s wartime imam and local presidency head, Mehmed Hajric. The panel ruled that the key witness, identified as M-2, gave an inconsistent testimony that was not corroborated by other evidence.

Neskovic was cleared of failing to prevent or punish the abuse as commander of the Rasadnik facility. The judges concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove he had knowledge of the mistreatment described in the charges.

In other instances, the court said it relied solely on written witness statements without further corroboration, found witness identifications unreliable, or dismissed testimonies as vague and imprecise.

Prosecutors had already dropped several charges during the trial, including one accusing Djeric and Ujic of forcing two detainees to engage in sexual acts, an allegation qualified as rape under international law.

The court imposed travel restrictions on Djeric and Ujic. Only Djeric was present in court for the verdict.

The accused were exempted from covering court costs and victims were advised to seek compensation through civil proceedings.

The trial began in July 2022. The verdict is subject to appeal before the Appellate Chamber of the Bosnian state court.

Copyright BIRN 2015