WAR CRIME TRIAL POSTPONED FOR THE SECOND TIME

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WAR CRIME TRIAL POSTPONED FOR THE SECOND TIME

Photo: N1

The beginning of the trial of Slobodan Peković, born Ćurčić, accused of committing a war crime against civilians in Foča, has been postponed for the second time before the Higher Court in Podgorica. This time the trial was postponed due to the justified absence of the defense attorney. The previous hearing was postponed on 21 June when the trial was scheduled to begin, due to the illness of one of three members of the Special Council of Judges. A new hearing is scheduled for 30 September 2022 at 8:00 a.m.

Peković has been charged, as a member of the Bosnian Serb Army, with murdering two Bosniak civilians and committing the rape of one person in the Foča municipality in 1992. This is the first trial in Montenegro for sexual violence committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the hearing before the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, Pekovic denied guilt. He was brought to the scheduled hearing from custody, where he is currently due to the fear of absconding.

The Special Council of Judges, in this case, consists of Judge Nada Rabrenović, as President and Judges Zoran Radović and Goran Šćepanović as members. The state prosecutor is Tanja Čolan Deretić, who was delegated to work in the Special State Prosecutor’s Office.

Human Rights Action is monitoring this criminal proceeding.