Heliodrom

During the 1992-1995 war, the former JNA barracks in Rodoč, south of Mostar, became an HVO prison for the city of Mostar and the surrounding area. During the conflict between ARBiH and HVO, the facility was used as a detention site for Bosniak civilians and soldiers from the wider Mostar area. The prisoners were subjected to harsh conditions, with restricted access to food and water, and to forced labour. They were also subjected to daily abuse and beatings. In 1993, the number of prisoners rose to as many as 6000. At least 54 prisoners died as a result of being detained at this facility.

For crimes committed at Heliodrom camp, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted the wartime president of HVO and prime minister of HZHB Jadranko Prlić, under the doctrine of command responsibility, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison; the head of the HZHB Department of Defence Bruno Stojić was sentenced to 20 years in prison; the commander of the HVO Main Staff Slobodan Praljak was sentenced to 20 years in prison; the chief of the HVO Main Staff and deputy commander of the HVO forces Milivoje Petković was sentenced to 20 years in prison; the head of the HVO Military Police Administration Valentin Ćorić was sentenced to 16 years in prison; and the head of the Service for Prisoner Exchange Berislav Pušić was sentenced to 10 years in prison. For crimes committed at Heliodrom, the ICTY convicted the founder and commander of the Convicts’ Battalion Mladen Naletilić and sentenced him to 20 years in prison, while Vinko Martinović, commander of a sub-unit of the Convicts’ Battalion known as the “Mrmak” and later “Vinko Škrobo” Anti-terrorist Group (ATG) was sentenced to 18 years in prison.