The trial of Besim Kopić and others began before the Cantonal Court in Tuzla for human trafficking, that is, the exploitation of two girls for the purpose of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation.
The indictment of the TK Prosecution charges Besim Kopić, Miralem Halilović, Jasmin Modrić and Dževad Požegić, Šemsudin Kadrić, Zijad Jagodić, Sulejman Šehić, Nedim Avdić, Emir Kadrić, Ismet Hujdur, Almir Hodžić and Mirsad Jagodić with having committed the criminal offense of human trafficking, related to the exploitation of two girls born in 2009 for the purpose of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation.
During the proceedings, dozens of witnesses will be heard and more than a hundred pieces of material evidence will be presented, and the proceedings are closed to the public at the request of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of TK and the decision of the Cantonal Court in Tuzla until the verdict is pronounced.
“The court makes a decision to exclude the public during the entire criminal proceedings in order to protect morals in a democratic society, as well as personal and intimate life, and the interests of minor victims,” said the president of the trial panel, Damir Čačković.
The request for exclusion of the public was opposed by the defense, stating that the negative consequences for the accused have already been produced by media coverage, and that only following the entire procedure could contribute to truthful reporting of the case.
“I would like the public to participate, to hear everything that happens in the courtroom, because I believe that if the public has already condemned, they could also help to end this process correctly,” said defense attorney Ivo Antić.
He said that the information about the accused, minors and families in the media reports had already harmed the accused and the whole process. “I would be most satisfied if the public was present every minute of this trial, because for me it is our goal to present to the public what we are going to say,” said the accused Kopić.
Defense attorney Duško Tomić proposed that the proceedings be closed to the public only at the time of the hearing of the minors.
Bringing the accused to trial for exploiting minors/Photo: PIN
In January of this year, the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of the Tuzla Canton filed an indictment against eight persons, four of whom were officers of the Police Department of the MUP of TK at the time the crimes were committed.
“Kopić, Kadrić, Halilović, Modrić and Šehić are accused of having recruited, lured, transported to different locations, handed over to other persons and hid two girls, victims of human trafficking, for the purpose of exploiting them through prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation, and sexually exploited them and gave them money for it in the period from April 2024 to the end of July 2025,” according to an earlier announcement by the TK Prosecutor’s Office.
Jagodić, Požegić and Avdić are accused of sexually exploiting girls and paying them for it, even though they were aware that they were minors and victims of human trafficking.
In March 2026, an indictment was brought against four more people. Two police officers from Kalesija, Emir Kadrić and Ismet Hujdur, police officer from Živinice Almir Hodžić, as well as Mirsad Jagodić from Banović are accused. By unifying the indictment, the proceedings are conducted against a total of 12 persons.
(TYPE/Source: pinmedia.ba/Author: Azra Husarić Omerović/Photo: PIN)
