Bosnia-Herzegovina: deliberate and arbitrary detentions of civilians / fear of torture, ill-treatment and deliberate and arbitrary killings: detained Croatian and Serbian civilians and captured combatants in Bosnia-Herzegovina

There is concern at the detention of Croatian and Serbian civilians, and the ill-treatment to which they, with captured combatants, may have been exposed. According to figures released on 8 September by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), around 650 Serbs and 579 Croats are being held by Bosnian Government forces in 24 detention centres in the region. A report by the UN Special Rapporteur on 6 September refers to the detention of Croat and Serbian civilians in Vrapcici, an area of Mostar. They have allegedly been used as “human shields” and for forced labour close to the front lines. Croatian sources allege that 3,400 Croats are held in Bugojno, and 900 soldiers and civilians are detained in Jablanica. In Mostar, 163 soldiers are also being held.

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