THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (June 13,2008) - The Hague Prosecution has asked the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to approve the expansion of the indictment against Serbian war criminals Milan and Sredoje Lukic.
The ICTY Prosecution has filed an indictment expansion motion in the case of Serbian war criminals Milan and Sredoje Lukic yesterday, charging them with a huge number of the rapes of Bosnian women in the eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad.
In case the Tribunal approves the request, this will be the third time the indictment has been changed since 1997, when it was first filed.
As explained in the motion, "in the interest of justice" and on the basis of arguments, the Prosecution asks the Tribunal to consider the proposal to charge the two Serbin war criminals with the rape and sexual abuse of Bosnian women,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia, in addition to other charges.
"The available evidence suggest that, in the period of time covered by the indictment, Milan and Sredoje Lukic were involved, individually or together with other participants, in planning, abetting or mediating in a joint criminal enterprise committed in Visegrad, as well as in planning and/or the abetting of rape, keeping in slavery and torture of persons in detention centres and other locations in Visegrad town and its vicinity," the motion indicates.
In essence, the indictees brought Bosnian women and girls to those locations, where they were raped and tortured, the motion further states.
The Prosecution stated that the available evidence imply that Serbian war criminals Milan and Sredoje Lukic kidnapped Bosnian women and girls from their houses in Visegrad and, "at the same time, deteined or murdered their husbands, sons and brothers."
"Milan Lukic and, on some occasions, Sredoje, held women and girls in detention at several locations, most notorious of which were the Vilina Vlas hotel and the Hasan Veletovac school building, as well as at some other locations," the Prosecution stated.
Bosnian women from Visegrad were held in slavery by the genocidal Serbian fascist aggressor, they were tortured and raped at those locations. A large number of them were raped on multiple occasions.
The available data suggest that the sexual abuse model was a part of a widespread and systematic campaign by the genocidal Serbian fascist aggressor against Bosnian civilians from Visegrad, the Prosecution said.
Further on, the Prosecution said that the female witnesses, whose names have already been submitted to the Tribunal, would testify concerning these events. In addition it made a reference to available written reports, including a UN Special Report made in 1992, in which an entire chapter was dedicated to rapes committed by the genocidal Serbian fascist aggressor in Visegrad. Besides this report, the Prosecution also referred to a report made by the Commission for Gathering of Data on War Crimes in Bosnia, as well as the book written by German journalist Alexandra Stiglmayer on mass rapes " The War against Women in Bosnia".
The motion indicates that the witnesses, who were contacted by the Prosecution, were unwilling to testify about mass rapes, "as they were afraid of being in the same room with the indictees once again" and testifying, in public, about what they went through.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia will deliver its decision soon.
Serbian war criminal Milan Lukic is charged in his capacity as commander of a genocidal Serbian fascist paramilitary group. The indictment alleges that he committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.
Serbian war criminal Sredoje Lukic is charged, as member of the same genocidal Serbian fascist paramilitary group, with having committed crimes against humanity during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.
The indictment further alleges that Serbian war criminals Milan i Sredoje Lukic also participated in the mass murder of more than 70 Bosnian women, children and the elderly in a house in Pionirska street and another 70 Bosnian civilians in a house in Bikavac settlement in Visegrad.
In addition, they are charged with torture of Bosnian civilians, who were detained by the genocidal Serbian fascist aggressor in the Uzamnica barracks.
Serbian war criminal Milan Lukic is also charged with other mass murders of Bosnian civilians on the Drina riverbanks.
Serbian war criminal Milan Lukic was arrested in Argentina in the summer of 2005.
Serbian war criminal Sredoje Lukic surrendered in 2005, after having been hiding in Russia for years. The initial indictment against the two Serbian fascists was filed in 1997.
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