Thousands Suspected of Crimes in Bosnia

Around 10,000 people living in Bosnia are currently suspected of war crimes committed during the country’s 1992-95 war, said local prosecutors this week.



This figure was revealed at a seminar held on September 6 in the city of Mostar, which focused on conflict prevention and the importance of war crimes trials.



The local media have quoted British ambassador to Bosnia Matthew Rycroft as saying that a better climate has to be created in Bosnia so that proceedings against war crimes suspects can go ahead smoothly.



Law experts, non-governmental organisations and journalists who participated in this seminar warned that one of the main problems Bosnian prosecutors are faced with is the fact that most suspects have not only Bosnian citizenship, but also that of neighbouring Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro and can easily evade arrest by escaping to these countries.



The participants also drew attention to the intimidation of the witnesses which occurs frequently and which often results in testimonies being changed.



Merdijana Sadovic is IWPR’s Hague tribunal programme manager.