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Lawsuit filed against Dodik, accused of insulting Bosniaks

Politiko 2025-05-05 14:12:48

Lawsuit filed against Dodik, accused of insulting Bosniaks

The Vice President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Stojanović, announced on May 5 that he has filed a lawsuit with the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina against the president of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of inciting national, racial and religious hatred.

Stojanović said, in a Facebook post, that Dodik made statements during public appearances that insulted the dignity of Bosniaks and “violated the right to religion and culture, and fundamental freedoms, guaranteed by the Constitution and international law.”

Speaking to reporters on April 29, after a meeting of the ruling coalition in Republika Srpska, Dodik presented the thesis that the solution for Bosnia and Herzegovina is for Bosniaks to "return to the religion of their ancestors, so that Bosnia and Herzegovina will have a Serb majority."

Denying the identity of Bosniaks, he insulted them by calling them “converts.” Stojanovic stressed that he has an “institutional and moral obligation to react when the foundations of the state – the equality, security and dignity of its citizens – are threatened.”

"Silence in the face of hate speech is not an option. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a state of all its people and citizens. Its foundations are on the fight against fascism, on freedom and equality. It is patriotism to protect the dignity of every human being and to defend the values ​​on which this country is based ," he stressed.

Dodik's office previously did not respond to Radio Free Europe's question about why the president of Republika Srpska makes offensive comments towards Bosniaks, and whether he believes they constitute hate speech.

Articles of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina prohibit “public incitement and incitement of national, racial or religious hatred,” and provide for a prison sentence.

Dodik is wanted by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina because he is refusing to respond to questioning for "attacking the constitutional order of the country."

Arrest warrants have also been issued for the Speaker of the Assembly of Republika Srpska, Nenad Stevandic, and the entity's Prime Minister, Radovan Viskovic, who are also suspected of having committed the same crime./ REL

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