TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL NOVAK DJUKIC BEGINS BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 13,2008) – The trial of Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic, accused of crimes against Bosnian civilians committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia has started before the Bosnian State Court by reading the indictment and introductory speeches.

The Bosnian state Prosecutor's Office alleges that, during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia, on May 25, 1995, in the capacity of Commander of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic ordered the genocidal Serbian aggressor's soldiers, located on Cerovo Brdo, Vrbak village at the mountain of Ozren, to fire a missile at a location in the centre of the eastern Bosnian city of Tuzla known as „Tuzlanska Kapija.“

As a result of the explosion of the missile, 71 Bosnian civilians were killed while 240 sustained injuries.Tuzla was declared a safe zone by a Resolution of the United Nations Secutiy Council issued on May 6, 1993.

Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic was arrested last year in the northern Bosnian city of Banja Luka by the Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency’s (SIPA).

Indictment against Serbian war criminal Novak Djukic was raised on December 27,2007. It was confirmed bythe Bosnian State Court on January 4,2008.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor Mirsad Strika announced that the evidence will prove that the accused committed the crime he has been indicted of. He added that the shelling of Tuzla continued even after the May 25 massacre and that the grenade was fired from the Serbian aggressor’s positions, which belonged to a unit under a direct command of Djukic.

The Prosecution announced that a number of witnesses will take the stand and that the opinions of court experts and other material evidence will be presented.

Hearing of the first three witnesses will take place before the Bosnian State Court on March 18.
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