Karadzic Challenges Witness Over Abuse Claims
Karadzic disputes testimony recounting humiliating incident in Bosnian Serb prison.
Karadzic Challenges Witness Over Abuse Claims
Karadzic disputes testimony recounting humiliating incident in Bosnian Serb prison.
Radovan Karadzic challenged a witness’s assertion at the Hague tribunal this week that a Bosniak man were forced to perform a sex act on another prisoner while they were held in a Bosnian Serb detention facility.
The prosecution witness, Mehmed Music, said he was detained in various locations for nearly six months after his village, near Hadzici, was taken over by Bosnian Serb forces in May 1992. According to the summary of his evidence read aloud by prosecutors, Music was “beaten and humiliated” during his detention and once witnessed a fellow prisoner being forced to “place his mouth on another man’s penis”.
During the cross-examination, Karadzic asked why Music – who has testified at the Hague tribunal twice previously - had not mentioned the alleged sexual abuse in his early witness statements.
“When you gave a statement in 1993, it only makes sense that your memory was better, and you never described this event,” Karadzic contended.
“There were some things that made me embarrassed and I never included them in my statement,” Music responded.
Karadzic noted that even in later statements, the witness did not include the name of the detainee who was allegedly forced to perform the sex act. The accused then asked if anyone had “suggested” that Music add this incident to his statement.
“I was dictated by [my] clear conscience because I still meet this person occasionally and I might be more embarrassed about whole thing than he is,” the witness replied.
“Do you know that several things are being repeated in the statements given by many [witnesses]… it seems that from Abu Ghraib detention [in Iraq] to Hadzici, there is always someone who would like to play with people's genitalia,” Karadzic remarked.
“How is it possible that you're all telling one and the same story?” the accused asked.
“I'm not surprised at your lies,” the witness answered tersely.
“You are describing a drastic scene in your consolidated statement and you are not mentioning it in 1993,” Karadzic said.
“I made a solemn declaration and I stand by everything I stated,” Music maintained.
At one point, Karadzic noted that all of the prosecution’s “favourite witnesses” have memories that get “better and better” over time.
“That is a totally unacceptable statement,” said Presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon.
Prosecutors allege that Karadzic, the president of Bosnia’s self-declared Republika Srpska, RS, from 1992 to 1996, is responsible for crimes of genocide, persecution, extermination, murder and forcible transfer which "contributed to achieving the objective of the permanent removal of Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from Bosnian Serb-claimed territory”.
He is also accused of planning and overseeing the 44-month siege of Sarajevo that left nearly 12,000 people dead, as well as the massacre of some 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica in July 1995. Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade in July 2008 after 13 years on the run, and represents himself in court.
During the cross-examination, Karadzic also asked the witness to clarify which paramilitary unit came into the Hadzici sports and cultural hall while Music was being held there.
In one statement, Music identified these soldiers as being “Arkan’s men” – allegedly commanded by the late Zelijko Raznatovic – and in another statement, he said they were “Seselj’s men” – claimed to be led by Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj, who is currently standing trial at the tribunal.
Music had earlier told prosecutors that the men introduced themselves as Seselj’s men, but the prison guards said they were in fact part of Arkan’s forces.
“So you don’t know who these people were?” Karadzic asked.
“I saw them as aggressors,” Music responded. “I didn’t care whether they were Arkan’s [men] or Seselj’s [men], they were the same scum of the earth.”
Music appeared to be extremely agitated during his testimony and there were several sharp exchanges between him and the accused.
When Karadzic addressed him as “Mr”, Music bristled.
“Do not refer to me as ‘Mr’, in your eyes I am a balija,” he said, referring to the derogatory term for Bosnian Muslims.
“Did you ever hear me use the word balija?” Karadzic asked.
“I’ve heard quite a few of your lies,” Music said. “I have been humiliated by people under you.”
He said that he saw Karadzic in Hadzici several times before war broke out “servicing his car”.
“This was a trick so people would not know he was coming for other reasons,” Music told prosecutors.
When Karadzic asked why the witness never mentioned this in earlier statements, Music replied that he “didn’t feel the need.
“I hoped that you would drop dead. I must say that I’m very happy to see you here and hope you will end up as your mentor Mr [Slobodan] Milosevic.”
Milosevic, who was president of Serbia, died in prison before his trial could be completed.
“What if I said I was never in Hadzici?” Karadzic asked.
“[I’d say] you were lying,” Music replied. “We had people following you.”
When Karadzic questioned the legality of this, Music replied that “it’s not legal to rape, loot and rob”.
“I wish you all the best,” Karadzic remarked at the conclusion his examination. “I see exactly why you are a favourite witness.”
“You are not a favourite among my people,” Music retorted. “You are the greatest aggressor after Hitler.”
Also testifying this week was Eset Muracevic, who said he was imprisoned by Bosnian Serb forces and used as a human shield. Nedjelko Prstojevic, who held positions within Karadzic’s political party, also began giving evidence and will continue to do so next week.
Rachel Irwin is an IWPR reporter in The Hague.
