Dešić: Prosecution to file an appeal and request 40 years in prison for Peković

Although more than 30 years have passed since the crimes committed by Slobodan Peković, this belated verdict represents a ray of hope for justice in the old way - justice is slow, but achievable, pointed out Bosniak Party (BS) MP Edina Dešić.

She referred to the verdict of the Higher Court that yesterday found Peković guilty of the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population, committed against Emina and Mujo Šabanović in the village of Hum, on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dešić said she welcomes this verdict.

"At the beginning of the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peković, as a member of the army of the so-called Republika Srpska, killed Emina and Mujo Šabanović in the village of Hum, and then burned their bodies. What is difficult for common sense to comprehend is the fact that the convicted person was a guest in the Šabanović house before this crime, where he ate and drank, and later did not hesitate to repay their hospitality in the most brutal way possible.

"Peković was also convicted of rape, which is also the first verdict in the Montenegrin judiciary when it comes to a war crime where there is an act of rape. Bearing in mind the fact that women were used as tools in the war and for that purpose the act of rape was collectively carried out in order to intimidate and humiliate the victim, this verdict is particularly important in light of the prosecution of other weekend warriors who went from Montenegro to BiH to, in addition to murder and robbery, also carry out acts of rape," the Bosniak Party MP stated.

She expressed her belief that justice will be served to all of them.

"At the same time, I emphasize that I consider the sentence of 20 years to be low given the nature of the crimes committed, the circumstances under which they were committed, and the social danger of such crimes, additionally taking into account the defendant's extensive criminal record.

"In that sense, I call on the prosecution to appeal the first-instance verdict and request the imposition of a long-term prison sentence of the longest legal term of 40 years, so that society can show its determination to oppose such atrocities as strongly as possible, especially considering the history of committing such and similar crimes in this region," said Dešić.

However, she adds, yesterday's verdict sends a message that Montenegro is finally facing a dark period in its history and that the judiciary and prosecution are ready to prosecute even the most horrific crimes.

"At the same time, the message was clearly sent that behind every crime there is a name and surname and that that name must at some point answer for its misdeeds. By confronting the past, we must build the foundations of a better future," Dešić concluded in the statement.