HLC: Investigate the Sjeverin Kidnapping

Humanitarian Law Center

On the 13th anniversary of the kidnapping and murder of 17 Bosniaks from Sjeverin, the Humanitarian Law Centre and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights demand from the competent authorities to conduct a full investigation against all persons that participated in this crime. Also, the two organizations demand that the families of the 17 victims are awarded proper compensation that would prove the recognition of responsibility for the crime.

For his role in the Sjeverin kidnapping, Milan Lukic was sentenced to 20 years in prison

The Supreme Court of Serbia annulled the original sentence of the District Court in Belgrade, and in the repeat trial that ended on July 15, 2005, Milan Lukic, Oliver Krsmanovic and Dragutin Dragicevic were sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Djordje Sevic was sentenced to 15 year term in prison.

Although the prosecution acts and the sentence of the District Court in Belgrade state that the perpetrators were members of the �Avengers� paramilitary unit, it is quite clear that they were regular members of the Visegrad Brigade of the Army of Republic of Srpska.

Having in mind all the facts listed above, as well as the fact that several other people took part in the crime, the two organizations believe that additional investigation should be conducted to include all the superior officers and the other persons that took part in the actual kidnapping. Otherwise, say HLC and YIHR, this will be just another proof that the highest state offices act as accomplices in the atmosphere of denial.