The Court police of Bosnia and Herzegovina today, at Banja Luka Airport, has taken over four ICTY accused from Detention authorities of International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Their case has been referred to Bosnia’s authorities by the decision of ICTY Referral bench following rule 11bis of ICTY’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence. This is the third case which ICTY referred to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Željko Mejakić, Momčilo Gruban, Dušan Fuštar and Duško Knežević have been transferred to Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which Section for War Crimes will be conducting the proceedings.   

The indictment confirmed by the ICTY charges these four individuals with confining in inhumane conditions, murdering, beating, sexually assaulting, harassing, humiliating and psychologically abusing non-Serbs in Omarska and Keraterm camps near Prijedor between May and August 1992.

The first hearing in this case is scheduled for today, 9 May 2006 starting at 7pm. At this hearing the ICTY accused will initially appear before the preliminary proceedings judge of Section I for War Crimes of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.