Mato Baotic Trial Starts at Beginning of February

The state prosecution said it would examine 24 witnesses, two of whom have requested protection measures, during its presentation of evidence. Prosecutor Milanko Kajganic said he would need approximately 19 working hours for his presentation of evidence, said it was possible that more witnesses would be examined.

Irena Pehar, Baotic’s defense attorney, said she would announce a complete evidence presentation once the state prosecution had finished its presentation of evidence. Pehar said that thus far, the defense planned on inviting 15 witnesses to testify. None of the defense witnesses have requested protection measures.

Baotic is a former military police commander with the Croatian Defense Council, who became the commander of a detention camp in a school building in Donja Mahala. He has been charged with the repeated rape and sexual abuse of Serb women.

According to the indictment, Baotic and other Croatian Defense Council members took women away from houses or detention camps and took them to the school building in Donja Mahala. There, the injured parties were unlawfully detained and raped.