On 19 September 2023 the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered and pronounced a Trial Judgment in the case of Ibrahim Purić et al.

The accused Almir Sarajlić has been found guilty of the criminal offense of War Crimes against Prisoners of War under Article 144 of the Criminal Code of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. The Court sentenced him to 20 (twenty) years of imprisonment. The time the accused spent in detention on arrest from 8 November 2018 to 9 November 2018 as well as in pre-trial custody from 23 November 2018 to 25 April 2019 shall be credited towards his sentence of imprisonment.

The accused Almir Sarajlić was found guilty that, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the armed conflict between the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Army of RBiH) and the Croat Defense Council (HVO), as a member of the 325^th Mountain Brigade of the Army of RBiH, on 22 December 1993, during a pre-planned and prepared attack on HVO lines at Križančevo selo, Šafradina and Dubravice, Municipality of Vitez, during which at least 12 HVO soldiers who had surrendered were executed by a firing squad, he acted in violation of the rules of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, by killing at least twelve (12) HVO soldiers in the morning hours of the given day in the territory of Šafradine hamlet, near Sivrino selo, who had previously surrendered and were disarmed, including wounded soldiers, one of whom unable to move on his own.

The accused Ibrahim Purić, Ibrahim Tarahija, Nijaz Sivro, Rušit Nurković, Sadik Omanović, Šaćir Omanović and Kasim Kavazović are acquitted of the charges for it was not proven that they committed the criminal offense of War Crimes against Prisoners of War under Article 175(1)a) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BiH), and the accused Ibrahim Purić also the criminal offense of War Crimes against Civilians under Article 173(1), Subparagraphs a), b), c) and f), of the CC BiH.

The accused Ibrahim Purić, Ibrahim Tarahija, Nijaz Sivro, Rušit Nurković, Sadik Omanović, Šaćir Omanović and Kasim Kavazović are acquitted of the charges that during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the armed conflict between the ARBiH and the HVO, Ibrahim Purić, in his capacity as Commander of the 325^th Mountain Brigade of the ARBiH and Commander of the Tactical Group (TG) North, 3^rd Corps of the ARBiH; Ibrahim Tarahija as Commander of III Battalion 325^th bbr ARBiH; Nijaz Sivro as Assistant Commander for security at the 325^th bbr ARBiH; Rušit Nurković as Assistant Commander for morale, information-propaganda activities and religious matters at the 325^th bbr ARBiH, and a Chairman of Exchange Commission at the 325^th bbr; and Šaćir Omanović, Sadik Omanović and Kasim Kavazović as members of the 325^th bbr. ARBiH, on 22 December 1993, during a pre-planned and prepared attack on the HVO soldiers and Croat civilian population of Križančevo selo, Šafradine and Dubravica, Municipality of Vitez, during which at least 12 HVO soldiers who had surrendered were executed by a firing squad, while two Croat women who did not take part in combat activities were killed, acted in violation of the rules of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as well as Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts.

The parties and defense counsel may appeal the Judgment with the Court’s Appellate Division Panel within 15 (fifteen) days of the day when a written copy of the Judgment was received.