Decades of delay for Bosniak victims of Strpci train massacre

Decades after the Strpci train massacre, families grapple with delayed justice and unresolved trials in Serbia

Thirty-one years after the Strpci train massacre delayed justice and protracted trials continue to plague the victims’ families.

This tragic event unfolded on Feb. 27, 1993, when Serbian paramilitary forces, under the command of Milan Lukic, abducted and killed 20 civilians from a Belgrade-Bar train at Strpci station in Bosnia. The victims comprised 18 Bosniaks, one Croat, and one unidentified individual, most of them hailing from Serbia or Montenegro.

Demir Licina, whose father was among the victims, voiced his frustration on the anniversary. “Their lives will not last long enough to answer for what they have done,” Licina stated, referring to the alleged perpetrators.

The protracted legal battle in Serbia has seen the Belgrade Court of Appeals overturn a first-instance verdict in October 2023, delaying the retrial’s commencement.

The initial trial had convicted Gojko Lukic, Dusko Vasiljevic, Jovan Lipovac, and Dragana Djekic for their roles in the kidnapping and execution. However, the retrial’s postponement has raised concerns about the diminishing likelihood of presenting new evidence as time erodes witnesses and material proofs.

In a grim revelation, Bosnian human rights activist Bakira Hasecic disclosed the possible death of defendant Lipovac in Belgrade, underscoring the urgency of justice.

Notably, the leader of the paramilitary unit responsible for the Strpci massacre, Milan Lukic, is serving a life sentence for other war crimes but remains unconvicted for this specific atrocity. The Bosnian state court has already sentenced 10 other wartime soldiers for their involvement in the massacre.

As families and human rights groups commemorate the victims, the Serbian judicial system’s handling of the case draws criticism for its seemingly lenient approach and delay in delivering justice.

Source: Newsroom