Bosnian court sentenced the head of Bosnian NGO Serbs to 2 and a half years in prison for denying genocide in Srebrenica.
On Thursday, the Bosnian court found Vojina Pavlovicia, the head of the east alternate NGO, guilty of violating the laws prohibiting the denial of genocide and the glorification of war criminals. This is the first specified conviction in the country.
On 11 July 2023, on the anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, for which he prepared posters with the slogan: "11 July – the day of the liberation of Srebrenica, we thank the Bosnian Serb army".
The court besides stated that Pavlović hanged a banner on the occasion of the birth of erstwhile Bosnian Serb chief Ratko Mladicia, whose Court in The Hague convicted genocide and another war crimes.
Pavlovic was sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison.
The conviction was issued at first instance and can be appealed against.
Judge president Goran Radevic said that the court considers this conviction to be an crucial milestone in the fight against the negation of genocide and the glorification of war criminals.
"The fact about Srebrenica and the conviction of Ratko Mladić are legal and historical facts, and denying genocide is not only unacceptable, but besides criminal," Radevic said.
The justice added that the conviction was not directed at any peculiar cultural group or entity but at a ‘irresponsible person’. He argued that this is the minimum that democratic society owes to war victims and survivors.
Source: Balkan Insight
BIS improvement — survey Bulletin
