The recent visit of U.S. investigators to Derventa, where they interviewed former Serb detainees about abuses committed in detention camps during the spring of 1992, has renewed expectations among survivors that additional individuals suspected of war crimes against Serbs could face prosecution.
Eight former detainees provided testimony to U.S. investigators regarding alleged abuses committed at the Rabić detention camp near Derventa. According to participants, the investigation is focused on individuals currently residing in the United States who are suspected of concealing their wartime activities during immigration proceedings.
Survivors hope the investigation will lead to outcomes similar to those involving Azra Bašić and Almaz Nezirović, both of whom were extradited from the United States and later prosecuted before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina after U.S. authorities determined they had provided false information during the immigration process.
Drago Knežević, President of the Derventa Association of Former Detainees and one of the witnesses interviewed, expressed confidence that the investigation would continue.
“I believe U.S. authorities will thoroughly investigate these cases, just as they did in the cases of Azra Bašić and Almaz Nezirović. Whether the suspects are prosecuted in the United States or extradited to Bosnia and Herzegovina remains to be seen,” Knežević said.
According to Knežević, investigators devoted particular attention to allegations involving brothers Muris and Haris Skelić, as well as several other individuals suspected of crimes committed against Serb detainees in Derventa. He also submitted three volumes of documentation concerning alleged war crimes against Serbs in the municipality.
The article recounts testimony previously presented before domestic courts regarding abuses in detention facilities in Derventa, including allegations of torture, executions, and other crimes committed against Serb civilians during the conflict.
Representatives of Serb organizations from Brod also intend to submit documentation to U.S. authorities concerning alleged crimes committed in that municipality.
Marko Grabovac, President of the Organization for Searching for Fallen Soldiers and Missing Civilians from Brod, said he plans to deliver documentation on alleged crimes committed against Serbs in Brod to the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following advice received from the investigators.
According to Grabovac, the material contains witness testimony, documentary evidence, photographs, military orders, and other records that had previously been submitted to both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and judicial authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Representatives of the Veterans’ Organization of Republika Srpska welcomed the arrival of the U.S. investigators, expressing hope that it marks the beginning of broader investigations into crimes committed against Serbs during the 1992–1995 conflict, including those allegedly committed in Sarajevo, where they claim numerous detention camps operated.
According to data cited from the Republika Srpska Association of Former Detainees, experts have documented 778 detention camps for Serbs across the territory of the former Yugoslavia, including 536 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 221 in Croatia, and 21 in Slovenia.
Separately, the City of Derventa and the Memorial Centre of Republika Srpska have launched a project to systematically record and archive testimonies from families of fallen and missing civilians and soldiers. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital archive documenting the suffering of Serbs during the conflict and preserving historical records for future generations.
Source: Glas Srpske
