Hell on Petrovačka Road: The Trial That Shakes Conscience!
Imagine being a parent and losing your child in the hell of war. No, this is not a movie or fiction – this is reality at the trial for crimes committed during the military-police operation “Storm” in 1995. Four Croatian Air Force officers are accused of attacking a refugee column on Petrovačka Road, where children also died.
Who are the accused?
Vladimir Mikac (67), Zdenko Radulj (69), Željko Jelenić (69), and Danijel Borović (64) – names now synonymous with tragedy. All are from Croatia and are being tried in absentia because they are not available to Serbian judicial authorities.
What happened?
On August 7, 1995, a refugee column, including children, was hit by missiles from aircraft. Parents like Spasa Rajić and Jovanka Vuković testify about the loss of their children and the horror they endured. Their stories are heart-wrenching and cast a shadow on all the suffering war brings – the pain of the innocent.
Why does this matter?
This trial is not just a legal procedure but a moral test for all of us. Will we allow these crimes to be forgotten? Will justice be served? And how many more families must suffer before the truth is acknowledged?
Injustice in absentia
The accused are not present in court, which further frustrates the public and the victims’ families. How can war crimes be judged if the accused cannot appear? This is yet another proof of how justice can be slow and elusive.
What do you think?
Is trial in absentia the right path? Will this bring relief to the families? Or is it just another drop in the ocean of injustice? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just say – who is the real culprit here?
Because if not us, then who? And if not now, when?
slug: trial-crimes-petrovacka-road
