1991 Baranja war crimes investigation against eight suspects, Croatian citizens under investigation

The County State Attorney's Office in Osijek has issued an order to conduct an investigation against eight Croatian citizens, born in 1956, 1964, 1964, 1969, 1958, 1968, 1968, and 1968, on suspicion of committing war crimes against the civilian population according to Article 120, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia.

Reasonable suspicion of crimes from 1991
According to the collected evidence, it is believed that the first and second defendants, between mid-November 1991 and mid-January 1992, in Grabovac, participated in illegal actions against civilians of non-Serbian nationality. During that period, after the JNA forces and Serbian paramilitary formations occupied Baranja during the armed aggression on Croatia, the accused, as members of the Grabovac Territorial Defense Headquarters, acted contrary to the provisions of international customary, war, and humanitarian law. Their activities included the detention of non-Serbian residents in the premises of the Cultural Center in Grabovac, where they were physically and psychologically abused with the aim of forcing them to leave their homes.

According to information from the investigation, among the victims were civilians born in 1956, 1944, 1950, 1935, 1938, 1940, 1970, 1949, 1939, 1947, 1940, 1959, 1928, 1939, 1956, 1939, 1960, 1947, and 1934. These people were forced to leave their homes under threats and physical violence. The abuses they suffered included beatings that caused severe bodily injuries, resulting from multiple blows, causing many of them to bleed and suffer serious physical and psychological consequences.

Details of brutal abuses
Further evidence suggests that in December 1991, in the premises of the Cultural Center, the accused brutally physically abused a resident, born in 1940, who remained paralyzed after the injuries and without medical help, later dying. This tragic death further highlighted the brutality of the suspects' actions, and the evidence collected during the investigation clearly shows that the victim was subjected to continuous violence with no chance for defense or help.

It is also suspected that they simultaneously physically and psychologically abused another resident, born in 1959, on a daily basis. This person suffered serious psychological consequences due to the abuse he was subjected to, and his condition is further aggravated by the fact that he was not provided any medical assistance during that period. This brutal behavior of the accused towards civilians indicates their intention to terrorize the local population and force them to leave their homes.

Historical context and consequences
In addition to individual crimes, there is reasonable suspicion that the other suspects, from September to November 1991, in Kneževi Vinogradi and Grabovac, also violated international norms regarding the protection of civilians. According to reports, the third defendant, as the commander of the Kneževi Vinogradi Territorial Defense Headquarters, together with the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth defendants, acted contrary to humanitarian law. They, with the knowledge and approval of the commander, illegally deprived the freedom of non-Serbian residents of Grabovac, brought them for questioning in the headquarters' premises, and severely abused them, leaving lasting consequences on their physical and mental health.

These events are part of a broader context of war crimes committed during the Croatian War of Independence, and have deep consequences for the local community. The crimes mentioned in the indictment still have a significant impact on the surviving victims and their families. It is also important to note that the defendants are currently not in the Republic of Croatia and are not available to state institutions, which further complicates the prosecution of this case.

This case shows how war crimes have left deep scars on society and emphasizes the importance of justice and accountability for crimes committed during the war. There is hope that justice will finally be served and that the victims will receive some form of satisfaction through this legal process.