Bruno Stojić

Bruno Stojić (born 8 April 1955) is a Bosnian Croat politician who has been convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). His trial, joined with five co-accused Bosnian-Croat politicians active in the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia wartime entity, ended with him being found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison.^[1]

Background

Bruno Stojić was born on 8 April 1955 in the village of Hamzići, People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[2] In 1992 he was named head of the HVO department of defense by Mate Boban. In 1993 he was moved to the Office for the Production and Sales of Weapons and Military Equipment. On 5 April 2004 he voluntarily turned himself in to the ICTY.

Indictment

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indictment states that his area of authority and responsibility included:

• HVO Military Police
• HVO intelligence service known as Security and Information Service (SIS)
• moral education which included information and propaganda
• Prison health, medical and sanitation services
• Military production and logistics.

Stojić had the ability and authority to issue organisational, strategic and combat orders in the HVO prison system.

Charges

Taken from the ICTY press release:^[2]

• nine counts of grave breaches of the Geneva conventions (wilful killing; inhuman treatment (sexual assault); unlawful deportation of a civilian; unlawful transfer of a civilian; unlawful confinement of a civilian; inhuman treatment (conditions of confinement); inhuman treatment; extensive destruction of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly; appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly).

• nine counts of violations of the laws or customs of war (cruel treatment (conditions of confinement); cruel treatment; unlawful labour; wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages, or destruction not justified by military necessity; destruction or wilful damage done to institutions dedicated to religion or education; plunder of public or private property; unlawful attack on civilians; unlawful infliction of terror on civilians; cruel treatment), and

• eight counts of crimes against humanity (persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds; murder; rape; deportation; inhumane acts (forcible transfer); imprisonment; inhumane acts (conditions of confinement); inhumane acts).

References