VUJADIN POPOVIC - IN PRE-TRIAL

Vujadin Popovic - (IT-02-57)

Assistant Commander for Security of the Drina Corps

Born	14 March 1957 in the village of Popovici, Sekovici municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Indictment kept confidential until unsealing on 21 October 2002).
----------- Arrest / Surrendered	14 April 2005, voluntary surrendered
----------- Transferred to ICTY	11 April 2003
----------- Initial Appearance	14 April 2005

Charged on the basis of individual criminal responsibility (Article 7(1)) with:

- Genocide
- Crimes against humanity
- Violations of the laws or customs of war

The Indictment
Factual allegations:
The Indictment that was confirmed on 26 March 2002, alleges that, during the attack on the Srebrenica enclave by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995, and the subsequent killings and executions of Bosniak men and boys, Vujadin Popovic was a Lieutenant Colonel and was the Assistant Commander for Security on the staff of the Drina Corps of the Bosnian Serb Army ("VRS"). He was present and on duty in the Drina Corps zone of responsibility, which included Srebrenica, Potocari, Bratunac and Zvornik, from 11 July to 31 August 1995. It is alleged that Vujadin Popovic, by virtue of his position as Assistant Commander of Security for the Drina Corps, had responsibility for dealing with Bosniak prisoners from Srebrenica from 11 July 1995 until 1 November 1995.

In the several days following the attack on Srebrenica, the VRS forces captured, detained, summarily executed, and buried over 7,000 Bosniak men and boys from the Srebrenica enclave, and forcibly transferred the Bosniak women and children out of the enclave. According to the Indictment, Vujadin Popovic committed, planned, instigated, ordered and otherwise aided and abetted in the planning, preparation and execution of the charged crimes.

It is alleged that Vujadin Popovic, together with other VRS and Ministry of the Interior ("MUP") officers and units as identified in this Indictment, was a member of and knowingly participated in a Joint Criminal Enterprise, the common purpose of which was, inter alia: to forcibly transfer the women and children from the Srebrenica enclave to Kladanj on 12 July and 13 July 1995; and to capture, detain, summarily execute by firing squad, bury, and rebury thousands of Bosniak men and boys aged 16 to 60 from the Srebrenica enclave from 12 July 1995 until and about 19 July 1995. The implementation of this Joint Criminal Enterprise resulted in the summary execution of over 7,000 Bosniak men and boys.

Charges:
The Indictment charges Vujadin Popovic on the basis of his individual criminal responsibility (Article 7(1) of the Statute) with:

One count of genocide (Article 4 of the Statute - genocide; alternatively, complicity to commit genocide)
Four counts of crimes against humanity (Article 5 of the Statute - extermination, murder, persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds, inhumane acts (forcible transfer))
One count of violations of the laws or customs of war (Article 3 of the Statute - murder)

keywords: Vujadin Popovic, Srebrenica Genocide, Srebrenica Massacre, Bosniaks, Bosnian Muslims, Bosnia-Herzegovina