25 May 1995 Tuzla shelling

Tuzla massacre
Part of Bosnian War
Location Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Date 25 May 1995
20:55 (UTC+1)
Target City street
Attack type
 Artillery fire
Deaths 71
Non-fatal injuries
 240
Perpetrators Army of Republika Srpska

On 25 May 1995, the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) launched an artillery attack against the town of Tuzla, which left 71 dead and 240 wounded. The event is also known as the Tuzla massacre.

Between 25 May and 28 May 1995 a number of artillery projectiles were fired at Tuzla from Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) positions near the village of Panjik on Mount Ozren some 25 km west of Tuzla. On 25 May 1995 (Marshal Tito's birthday and Relay of Youth in former Yugoslavia) at 20:55 hours, a high-explosive fragmentation shell fired by a 130mm towed artillery piece, detonated in the part of the city called Kapija. There were 71 people killed and 240 wounded.[1][2][3] All of the victims were civilians and the majority were between the ages of 18–25.[1] Tuzla mayor Selim Bešlagić made a statement to the United Nations Security Council the same day calling the VRS "fascists" and urging "For the sake of The God and humanity use the force finally."[4] On 25 and 26 May, NATO carried out air strikes against VRS ammunition depots in Pale after violations of the Exclusion Zones and shelling of UN Safe Areas.

Novak Đukić, a former VRS officer was arrested in Banja Luka on 7 November 2007. At the time of the attack Đukić was the commander of Tactical Group Ozren. His trial began on 11 March 2008. On 12 June 2009, Đukić was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.[5] On 10 September 2010 the Appellate Panel dismissed Đukić's appeals as unfounded and upheld the first instance verdict of 12 June 2009 in its entirety.[6]

In 2009, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated that the attack was staged and questioned the Markale massacre at Sarajevo. The Tuzla municipality filed charges against Dodik over these statements. The city of Sarajevo filed criminal charges against Dodik for abuse of power, and inciting ethnic, racial and religious hatred.[7] The Office of the High Representative said Dodik denied the war crimes committed and stated that "When such skewed facts come from an official in a position of high responsibility, an official who is obliged to uphold the Dayton Peace Accords and cooperate with the Hague Tribunal, then they are particularly irresponsible and undermine not only the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, but the credibility of the individual himself".[8]

See also

"Slana Banja" memorial complex

References

  1. 1 2 "Bosnian Serb jailed for massacre". BBC. 12 June 2009.
  2. ↑ "Djukic: Regaining Faith in Bosnia Justice". Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. 19 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Bosnian War Crimes Charges Upheld". Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. 4 January 2008.
  4. ↑ "The Speech of Mayor of Tuzla–Mr. Selim Beslagic–Tuzla, May 25th 1995".
  5. ↑ "Novak Đukić sentenced to 25 years imprisonment". The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  6. ↑ "Novak Đukić appeal dismissed". internationalcrimesdatabase.org.
  7. ↑ "Sarajevo files charges against RS's Dodik". Southeast European Times. 7 October 2009.
  8. ↑ "OHR slams Dodik statements". B92. 16 September 2009.
  • Kapija 25.05.1995.godine
  • "CONFLICT IN THE BALKANS: THE OVERVIEW; AFTER 2D STRIKE FROM NATO, SERBS DETAIN U.N. TROOPS". NY Times.
  • "Novak Đukić indictment" (PDF). sudbih.gov.ba.

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