Keraterm camp

Keraterm
Death camp
Location of Keraterm within Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates 44°58′52″N 16°45′14″E / 44.98111°N 16.75389°E / 44.98111; 16.75389Coordinates: 44°58′52″N 16°45′14″E / 44.98111°N 16.75389°E / 44.98111; 16.75389
Location near Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Operated by Bosnian Serb military and police authorities
Original use Ceramic tile factory
Operational 1992–94
Inmates Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats
Number of inmates 1,000–1,500
Killed 150[1]

The Keraterm camp was a death camp[2] established by Bosnian Serb military and police authorities near the town of Prijedor in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War.[2] The camp was used to collect and confine between 1,000–1,500 Bosniak and Bosnian Croat civilians.[2]

The camp

The Keraterm camp was located on the site of a ceramics factory, just outside the city of Prijedor. According to reports, prisoners were kept in four halls, formerly used as storehouses at the ceramics factory. The Keraterm camp's prisoner population was all male. Most of the men at the camp were reported to be between the ages of 15 and 60. However, in mid-July 1992, approximately 12 to 15 Bosniak women were brought to Keraterm, raped, and transported to the Omarska camp. About 85% of all prisoners were Bosniaks while about 15% were Bosnian Croats.[3]

According to the indictment, the detainees were, among other things, subjected to physical violence, constant humiliation, degradation, inhumane conditions, and fear of death. Severe beatings were commonplace. All manner of weapons were used during these beatings, including wooden batons, metal rods, baseball bats, lengths of thick industrial cable that had metal balls affixed to the end, rifle butts, and knives. The killings, beatings, sexual assaults, and other cruel and humiliating actions were committed.[4]

War crime trials

The Republika Srpska officials responsible for running the camp have since been convicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Duško Knežević was found guilty of the criminal offence of Crimes against Humanity and sentenced him to a long-term imprisonment of 31 years.[5] Željko Mejakić was found guilty for the criminal offense of Crimes against Humanity and sentenced him to the long-term imprisonment of 21 years.[5] Duško Sikirica, commander of the Keraterm camp, pleaded guilty to crimes against humanity and was sentenced to a jail term of fifteen years.[6] Dušan Fuštar was found guilty for having participated, by acting and failing to act, in a joint criminal enterprise and sentenced him to 9 years imprisonment for "having failed to exercise his authority and prevent the crimes." Predrag Banović who pleaded guilty to 25 charges and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.[7] Damir Došen was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.[8] Dragan Kolundžija was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Radovan Karadžić: Case Information Sheet" (PDF). International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. p. 2. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Final report of the United Nations Commission of Experts established pursuant to security council resolution 780 (1992)". United Nations - Security Council. 28 December 1994.
  3. ↑ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/analysis/15763/
  4. ↑ "ICTY - TPIY : Keraterm Camp case: Dragan Kolundzija will appear before a Trial Chamber on Monday 14 june 1999 in Courtroom III.". icty.org.
  5. 1 2 "Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina". tuzilastvobih.gov.ba.
  6. ↑ "Bosnian Serbs voice grievances". BBC News. 10 December 2004.
  7. ↑ "ICTY - TPIY : Predrag Banović". icty.org.
  8. ↑ "Judicial Supplement 29 - The Prosecutor v. Dusko Sikirica, Damir Dosen and Dragan Kolundzija - Case No. IT-95-8-S". icty.org.
  9. ↑ "ICTY - TPIY : Dragan Kolundžija". icty.org.
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