Serb victims who endured detention in Croat-Bosniak wartime camps in Derventa are set to begin giving testimony today before U.S. investigators.
Over the coming days, five investigators will interview eight former detainees at the Basic Court in Derventa, with the assistance of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).
The investigators are believed to be gathering information on individuals currently residing in the United States who are suspected of committing crimes in Derventa during 1992 and who have so far avoided prosecution. This marks the first time that U.S. investigators and prosecutors have come to Derventa to collect testimony concerning the suffering of Serbs during the conflict.
Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said that the arrival of the U.S. investigators represents an opportunity for what he described as a more objective assessment of the suffering of Serbs, in contrast to the Sarajevo judiciary, which he claimed had presented only false narratives on the matter.
The Veterans’ Organization of Republika Srpska welcomed the investigation in Derventa, expressing hope that it would contribute to the prosecution of those responsible for crimes committed against Serb civilians. According to the organization, several hundred Serbs passed through detention camps in Derventa during the war, while only a small number of suspects have been prosecuted to date.
Source: RTRS
