External links to relevant Visegrad Genocide Memories information
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The Pionirska |
The '''Pionirska Street fire'''<ref>Pionirska Street presently known as Ulica Vojvode Putnika</ref> was an [[arson]] fire perpetrated by Bosnian Serb forces in [[Višegrad]], eastern [[Bosnia]], on 14 June 1992 in which 59 [[Bosniak]] women, children and elderly people were murdered by being locked into one room of a house, which was then set on fire.<ref name="icty2009">{{cite news|title=Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić Convicted of War Crimes in Višegrad|url=http://www.icty.org/sid/10188|access-date=2 June 2010|newspaper=ICTY|date=20 July 2009}}</ref> |
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==Trial== |
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On 20 July 2009, [[Milan Lukić]] and [[Sredoje Lukić]] were sentenced to life in prison and 30 years’ imprisonment respectively, for crimes that included the Pionirska Street fire and the murder of at least 60 Bosniak civilians in the [[Bikavac fire]] on 27 June 1992, when the civilians were forced into a house, all exits were blocked and several [[explosive device]]s and [[petrol]] were thrown in, setting the house on fire.<ref name="ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement">{{cite web|url=http://www.icty.org/x/cases/milan_lukic_sredoje_lukic/tjug/en/090720_j.pdf|title=ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement}}</ref> |
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It was found that on 14 June 1992, during the [[ethnic cleansing]] of the [[Drina Valley]] by the [[Bosnian Serbs]],70Bosniak women, children and elderly men, most of them from the village of [[Koritnik (Višegrad)|Koritnik]], were confined in a house in Pionirska Street, Višegrad by cousins Milan and Sredoje Lukić. They were locked into one room of the house, which was then set on fire. Milan Lukić was found to have thrown an explosive device into the room, setting the house ablaze. 59 of the occupants died. Lukić shot at people trying to escape from the burning house. All the survivors that were still alive testified at the trial.<ref name="ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement"/> |
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When Judge Patrick Robinson, presiding, summed up the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]]'s findings following the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukić, he observed that |
When Judge Patrick Robinson, presiding, summed up the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]]'s findings following the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukić, he observed that: <blockquote>In the all too long, sad and wretched history of man’s inhumanity to man, the Pionirska street and Bikavac fires must rank high. At the close of the twentieth century, a century marked by [[world wars|war and bloodshed on a colossal scale]], these horrific events stand out for the viciousness of the incendiary attack, for the obvious premeditation and calculation that defined it, for the sheer callousness and brutality of herding, trapping and locking the victims in the two houses, thereby rendering them helpless in the ensuing inferno, and for the degree of pain and suffering inflicted on the victims as they were [[burned alive|burnt alive]].<ref name="icty2009"/></blockquote> |
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Alleged participant, [[Radomir Šušnjar]], was arrested in [[France]] on 4 April 2014. He was extradited to Bosnia in June 2018 to face charges relating to the fire.<ref name="balk_Fran">{{Cite web| title = France Extradites Serb War Crimes Suspect to Bosnia| author = Dizdarevic, Emina| work = Balkan Insight| date = 2018-06-25| access-date = 2018-06-26| url = http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/france-extradites-serb-war-crimes-suspect-to-bosnia-06-25-2018}}</ref> On 30 October 2019 he was sentenced to 20 years for war crimes for his involvement in the fire incident.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/10/30/bosnian-serb-ex-fighter-convicted-of-mass-killing-in-visegrad/|title=Bosnian Serb Fighter Convicted of Mass Killing in Visegrad|first=Emina|last=Dizdarevic|date=October 30, 2019}}</ref> |
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On 20 July 2009 Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić were sentenced to life and 30 years’ imprisonment respectively, for crimes against humanity and war crimes. |
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Among other crimes Milan Lukić was also found guilty of the murder of at least 60 Muslim civilians in the [[Bikavac fire]] on 27 June 1992 when he forced them into a house, blocked all exits and threw in several explosive devices and petrol, setting the house on fire. |
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"''The perpetration by Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić of crimes in this case is characterised by a callous and vicious disregard for human life''," Judge Robinson, presiding said. |
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The Lukić cousins were initially indicted together with [[Mitar Vasiljević]], who was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment on 25 February 2004. |
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The summary of the Judgement can be found at: |
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<ref>http://www.icty.org/x/cases/milan_lukic_sredoje_lukic/tjug/en/090720_judg_summary_en.pdf</ref> |
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The full text can be found at:<ref name="ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement">{{cite web|url=http://www.icty.org/x/cases/milan_lukic_sredoje_lukic/tjug/en/090720_j.pdf|title=ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement|}}</ref> |
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The Bikavac fire was one of the [[Višegrad massacres]], also called the Višegrad genocide, a series of atrocities perpetrated in Višegrad during the spring 1992 ethnic cleansing campaign. |
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==See also== |
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*[[Višegrad massacres]] |
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*[[Bikavac fire]] |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Coord|43|47|10|N|19|17|57|E|display=title}} |
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<references/> |
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== External links == |
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[[Category:Arson in Bosnia and Herzegovina]] |
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[http://genocideinvisegrad.wordpress.com/tag/pionirska-ulica/ Visegrad Genocide Memories - Archive for Pionirska Ulica] |
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[[Category:Mass murder in 1992]] |
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[http://genocideinvisegrad.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/list-of-bosniak-women-and-children-burnt-alive-in-visegrad/ Visegrad Genocide Memories - List of victims of the Pionirska fire] |
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[[Category:1992 crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina]] |
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[http://genocideinvisegrad.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/koritnik-the-kurspahic-tragedy/ - the fate of members of the Kurspahic family] |
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[[Category:Massacres in the Bosnian War]] |
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[[Category:1992 murders in Europe]] |
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[[Category:1990s murders in Bosnia and Herzegovina]] |
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[[Category:Massacres of Bosniaks]] |
The Pionirska Street fire[1] was an arson fire perpetrated by Bosnian Serb forces in Višegrad, eastern Bosnia, on 14 June 1992 in which 59 Bosniak women, children and elderly people were murdered by being locked into one room of a house, which was then set on fire.[2]
On 20 July 2009, Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić were sentenced to life in prison and 30 years’ imprisonment respectively, for crimes that included the Pionirska Street fire and the murder of at least 60 Bosniak civilians in the Bikavac fire on 27 June 1992, when the civilians were forced into a house, all exits were blocked and several explosive devices and petrol were thrown in, setting the house on fire.[3]
It was found that on 14 June 1992, during the ethnic cleansing of the Drina Valley by the Bosnian Serbs, 70 Bosniak women, children and elderly men, most of them from the village of Koritnik, were confined in a house in Pionirska Street, Višegrad by cousins Milan and Sredoje Lukić. They were locked into one room of the house, which was then set on fire. Milan Lukić was found to have thrown an explosive device into the room, setting the house ablaze. 59 of the occupants died. Lukić shot at people trying to escape from the burning house. All the survivors that were still alive testified at the trial.[3]
When Judge Patrick Robinson, presiding, summed up the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia's findings following the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukić, he observed that:
In the all too long, sad and wretched history of man’s inhumanity to man, the Pionirska street and Bikavac fires must rank high. At the close of the twentieth century, a century marked by war and bloodshed on a colossal scale, these horrific events stand out for the viciousness of the incendiary attack, for the obvious premeditation and calculation that defined it, for the sheer callousness and brutality of herding, trapping and locking the victims in the two houses, thereby rendering them helpless in the ensuing inferno, and for the degree of pain and suffering inflicted on the victims as they were burnt alive.[2]
Alleged participant, Radomir Šušnjar, was arrested in France on 4 April 2014. He was extradited to Bosnia in June 2018 to face charges relating to the fire.[4] On 30 October 2019 he was sentenced to 20 years for war crimes for his involvement in the fire incident.[5]
43°47′10″N 19°17′57″E / 43.78611°N 19.29917°E / 43.78611; 19.29917