MOTION FILED FOR ORDER OF PROHIBITING MEASURES FOR MARINKO BJELICA (1946) AND REMAND IN CUSTODY OF ZORAN BJELICA (1966)

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH filed a motion to the Court of BiH to order prohibiting measures for Marinko Bjelica and to remand Zoran Bjelica in custody. The two are suspected of having committed the criminal offense of War Crimes against Civilians under Article 173 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes within the Prosecutor's Office of BiH filed a motion to the Court of BiH to order prohibiting measures for the suspect Marinko Bjelica - born on March 6, 1946 in Trnovo municipality where he resides, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Assigned Prosecutor filed a motion to the Court of BiH for remand in custody of the suspect Zoran Bjelica, born on February 3, 1966 in Trnovo municipality where he resides, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The suspects were arrested yesterday morning by authorized SIPA officers. These suspects are under investigation by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and are suspected to have, during the war in BiH, as members of the local Serb military and police forces, acted contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War during August 1992 in Kalinovik.

Following the arrest, the above mentioned persons were handed over to the Assigned Prosecutor who questioned them as suspects and subsequently filed motions to the Court of BiH seeking order of prohibiting measures for the suspect Marinko Bjelica, and remand in custody of the suspect Zoran Bjelica for a period of one month on the grounds stipulated in Article 132, Paragraph 1 subparagraph b) of the Criminal Procedure Code of BiH.

Remand in custody was requested due to risk that the accused would, if released, hinder the investigation by influencing witnesses, accessories or accomplices.

Motions for order of prohibiting measures and remand in custody were filed with the Court of BiH.